Festus Keyamo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), extended an apology to the Senate on Monday evening for his prior failure to attend invitations from the legislative committee overseeing the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
Keyamo, who formerly served as a minister under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, expressed remorse during the Senate’s ministerial screening.
The apology followed a tumultuous session earlier in the day when Senator Darlington Nwokocha (Abia Central) accused Keyamo of disrespecting the Ninth National Assembly and casting aspersions on the previous Assembly’s integrity.
In a composed manner, Keyamo tendered his apology, shedding light on the context of the situation. He explained that the matter in question had been resolved between him and the committee members.
He acknowledged his fault and expressed an “apology without reservation.”
Nwokocha had initiated a motion to suspend Keyamo’s ministerial screening, referencing Keyamo’s failure to attend an invitation during the Buhari administration to explain a Special Public Works program.
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Responding to the allegations, Keyamo clarified that all payments to beneficiaries under the public works program were directly facilitated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the recipients.
He also indicated that the register containing beneficiary details was available at the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and could be verified.
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Senator Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa North), chair of the committee on Labour in the Ninth Senate, appealed for Keyamo to be allowed to proceed after his apology. Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) moved a motion for the Senate to accept Keyamo’s apology, a motion which the Senate approved.
Keyamo, the 48th and final ministerial nominee, then exited the stage.