On Wednesday, the Senate appointed Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Kwara South, as its new Deputy Leader of the Senate, News About Nigeria reports.
The Senate also appointed Senator Nwebonyi Onyeka, who is also a member of the APC representing Ebonyi North, as the new Deputy Chief Whip.
Their appointments were announced by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during today’s plenary.
Ashiru, who previously served as the Chief Whip of the Senate, has been promoted to the position of Deputy Leader of the Senate, which became vacant following the appointment of Senator Dave Umahi as the Minister of Works by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
With Senator Ashiru’s new appointment, his former position as the Deputy Whip of the Senate has been assumed by Senator Nwebonyi.
It was also gathered that the nominees for the chairman and secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede and Muhammad Hammajoda, are currently in the Senate for screening and confirmation.
These nominations come following their appointment by President Bola Tinubu on October 12, 2023, as the chair and secretary of the commission, pending Senate confirmation.
The leadership of the anti-graft agency has undergone significant changes in the last few months since President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.
On June 14, 2023, President Tinubu suspended the EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, indefinitely to allow for a thorough investigation into his conduct while in office. This suspension follows allegations of abuse of office levelled against him, which have led to the nomination of Olukoyede as his replacement.
