Senate president, Bukola Saraki on Wednesday announced the much-awaited standing committees.
The announcement saw the increase of committees from 57 to 65.
Political observers say with this development, the Senate has toed the line of the House of Representatives, which recently increased the number of its standing committees from 89 to 95.
Breakdown of the list shows that APC got 41 chairmanship positions, as against PDP’s 24. However, the immediate past Senate president, David Mark, did not chair any committee.
While Danjuma Goje (APC) chairs the Committee on Appropriations; John Enoh (PDP) leads the Committee on Finance; Abdullahi Adamu (APC) heads the Committee on Agriculture, while Godfrey Utazi mans the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.
Others are Donald Alasaodura (PDP), Upstream Petroleum; Uche Ekwunife (PDP), Downstream Petroleum; Ben Murray-Bruce (PDP), Privatisation; Hope Uzodinma (PDP), Aviation; Rafiu Ibrahim (APC), Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions; Ahmed Sani (APC), Marine Transport; Isiaka Adeleke (APC), Capital Market; Fatimat Raji Rasaki (PDP), Trade and Investment; Adamu Aliero (APC), Customs, Excise and Tarrif; Suleiman Nazif (APC), Employment, Labour and Productivity.
Also on the list are: Sam Egwu (PDP), Committee on Industry; Shehu Sani (APC), Committee on Local and Foreign Debts; Rabiu Kwankwaso (APC), National Planning and Economic Affairs; James Manager (PDP), Power; Dino Melaye (APC), Federal Capital Territory; Joshua Dariye (PDP), Solid Minerals; Abdulsalami Ohiare (APC), Public Procurement; Peter Nwaboshi (PDP), Niger Delta; Bassey Akpan (PDP), Gas, among others.
The Senate thereafter adjourned till Tuesday, November 10.
In a chat with journalists, the immediate past Senate spokesperson, Dino Melaye said the adjournment was to enable the four ad-hoc committees to complete their assignments and submit their reports next week.
Saraki is billed to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Thursday, over 13-count charge of false assets declaration.
