The Senate has approved the appointment of Dr Abdullahi Saidu as Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), alongside six nominees selected to serve on the commission’s board.
We gathered that the confirmation was secured on Wednesday after lawmakers considered and adopted the report submitted by the Senate Committee on Finance during plenary.
The six board members approved alongside Saidu are Mohammed Asma’u Mai-Eka, representing the North-West; Mohammed Makama, North-Central; Suleiman Gidado, North-East; Louis Ndukwe, South-South; Amaechi Ugwele, South-East; and Olaniyi Onikola, South-West.
Presenting the committee’s findings, its Deputy Chairman, Senator Lere Oyewumi of the Accord Party, said the nominees underwent a detailed screening process because of the commission’s critical responsibilities in public revenue management and fiscal oversight.
Oyewumi explained that the committee assessed the nominees’ educational backgrounds, professional experience and curricula vitae to establish their suitability for the positions. He added that the chairman-designate and four board members also submitted letters of appreciation from their former workplaces as evidence of their professional competence.
He described Saidu as an experienced public administrator with expertise in revenue management, fiscal supervision and governance reforms. According to the lawmaker, Saidu previously worked with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), where he headed a sensitive committee and distinguished himself in the discharge of his duties.
The committee deputy chairman also highlighted the professional backgrounds of other nominees. He disclosed that Makama had spent 28 years in service and worked as a manager in the Legal Department of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).
Gidado, who represents the North-East, was described as an associate professor with an impressive professional record, while Ugwele had served as a special adviser to the Enugu State Government.
Oyewumi further noted that Onikola, a financial investment specialist representing the South-West, had worked for eight years under two administrations in Osun State.
Based on the outcome of the screening, the committee concluded that the nominees possessed the necessary academic qualifications and professional experience to discharge their responsibilities effectively. Oyewumi expressed confidence in their capacity to contribute meaningfully to the commission’s mandate.
He also commended the Senate President and the leadership of the National Assembly’s upper chamber for providing the support needed to carry out the screening exercise.
Contributing to the deliberations, Senator Simon Lalong of the APC, representing Plateau South, endorsed the committee’s recommendations, saying he participated actively in the screening process.
Lalong described the nominees as credible individuals and expressed confidence that their appointments would benefit the country.
