By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A ministerial nominee from Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, on Wednesday slumped during his confirmation screening at the Senate chamber in Abuja.
Balarabe who was the second nominee to be screened after Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim, was said to have appeared before the Senate fasting.
The incident happened more than 15 minutes into Balarabe’s screening exercise at the Senate plenary.
The nominee, who was standing on the podium, collapsed when Kaduna South Senator, Sunday Marshall Katung, was speaking about Balarabe’s administrative experience in Kaduna.
After Balarabe had finished reading his profile before the senators, the Kaduna lawmaker, while endorsing Balarabe’s ministerial nomination, said all the three senators from the state have no objection to his nomination.
Senator Katung had not finished his remarks when the nominee collapsed, prompting the Senate President Godswill Akpabio to shout, “Give him water, give him water and sugar.”
Akpabio ordered journalists and camera out of the Senate chamber while the live streaming of the screening was also halted.
The nominee was a replacement for former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai who was not confirmed by the Senate for a ministerial office.
He had since been rushed to the hospital.
