President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of 12 nominees as members of the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, which pointed out that the President’s request is contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Ahmed Lawan dated May 3, 2023.

The statement quoted the letter as saying: ‘‘In accordance with the provision of Part 1, section 2(5)(b) of the North East Development Commission Establishment Act, 2017, I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of twelve (12) nominees as tabulated below, in the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission.

“The Senate is invited to note that the tenure of the current Governing Board of the North East Development Commission will end on 7th May, 2023,” it said.

The nominees include: Barr. Bashir Bukar Baale, Chairman, (North East, Yobe), Suwaiba Idris Baba, Executive Director, Humanitarian Affairs, (North East, Taraba), Musa Umar Yashi, Executive Director, Administration and Finance, (North East, Bauchi), Dr Ismaila Nuhu Maksha, Executive Director, Operations (North East, Adamawa) and Umar Abubakar Hashidu, MD/CEO, (North East, Gombe).

Others are Grema Ali, member, (North East, Borno), Onyeka Gospel-Tony, member, (South East), Hon. Mrs Hailmary Ogolo Aipoh, member, (South-South), Air Commodore Babatunde Akanbi (rtd), member, (South West), Mustapha Ahmed Ibrahim, member, (North West), Hadiza Maina, member, (North Central) and a representative from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

The President expressed hope that his request ‘‘will receive the usual expeditious consideration and confirmation of the Senate.’’ (Nigerian Tribune)