Maryam Shetty, Festus Keyamo
When President Bola Tinubu submitted the name of Maryam Shettima popularly known as Maryam Shetty, little did he know that her nomination would be greeted with lots of criticism.
Many took to social media to castigate her nomination while few praised President Tinubu for nominating her.
Shetty’s nomination was greeted by mixed reactions as some described her as a “Tik Tok influencer”, while others faulted her “unimpressive” professional experience as a physiotherapist.
President Tinubu replaced Shetty with Mariga Mahmoud Bunkure and to make matters worse, Shetty and her supporters learnt of her replacement after arriving the National Assembly for screening.
Shetty, a ministerial nominee from Kano, was already at the National Assembly Complex on Friday for screening when President Bola Tinubu sent another name to replace her.
On Wednesday, Tinubu added 19 names, including Shetty, to the list of ministerial nominees sent to the senate for screening — six days after forwarding the first 28 names to the Parliament.
Unfazed by the criticisms, Shetty arrived at the upper legislative chamber in a wine-coloured headgear and a sort of black burkha that covered her whole body except for her hands, carrying a silver bag.
But the Kano-born politician and her supporters were shocked when they were told at the gate of the senate that her name had been replaced with that of Mariga Mahmoud Bunkure, another nominee, from the state.
Reacting to the development, Shetty appreciated the president’s decision and congratulated Bunkure for being nominated.
“I was just informed now at today’s plenary session that President Bola Ahmad Tinubu has withdrawn my ministerial nomination and replaced me with Mairiga Mahmud,” she wrote on Twitter.
“I’m grateful and thankful for any decision from you my president!.”
“I felicitate with Mariya Mairiga Mahmud. I thank the leader of our party Abdullahi Ganduje for his fatherly disposition and democratic stance that sets the stage for a free and transparent contestation devoid of institutional bias, favouritism, or imposition of any kind.”
In a related development, Festus Keyamo, was also added to the ministerial list.
Keyamo while reacting to his nomination said his ministerial nomination by President Bola Tinubu was a miracle.
The former minister of state for labour and productivity under former President Muhammadu Buhari was announced as a nominee during Senate plenary on Friday.
In a letter addressed to the Senate on Friday, Tinubu picked Keyamo as one of the two new nominees added to the second batch of the ministerial nominees announced on Wednesday.
Keyamo made an appreciation post on his verified Twitter handle.
He stated, “He’s a miracle-working God. He’s a miracle-working God. He’s the Alpha and Omega, He’s a miracle-working God!”
