Abbas Balarabe, the ministerial nominee [/b]from Kaduna State, faced a startling incident during his Senate screening on Wednesday afternoon. After delivering a brief introduction about himself, he collapsed in the presence of senators. The Senate had even extended its session beyond the usual 2 p.m. cutoff time when this incident occurred. The exact cause of his collapse remains unclear, prompting the Senate to convene a closed-door session to discuss the matter.
Amidst the confusion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio could be heard urging fellow senators and parliamentary workers in the red chamber to assist the nominee by providing him with water and sugar.
Abbas Balarabe had been nominated to replace the former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, whose confirmation was pending due to unresolved security clearance issues. If confirmed by the Senate, Abbas is expected to take on the role of Minister of Environment, a position already designated for Kaduna State.