Ministerial Nominee Festus Keyamo Offers Unreserved Apology to Senate Amidst Controversy

Festus Keyamo, SAN, the former Minister of State for Labour and Employment and a recent ministerial nominee, extended a heartfelt apology to the Senate on Monday, seeking to mend fences over perceived tensions with the ninth Assembly. Acknowledging his previous behavior, Keyamo expressed regret for any disregard he might have exhibited towards the Senate in the past.

In an attempt to clarify his actions, Keyamo shared that he had already tendered apologies to Senator Godiya Akwashiki, the chair of the Senate committee on Labour, Employment, and Productivity, along with his counterpart in the House of Representatives. Keyamo humbly remarked, “I apologize to the Senate. I am sorry, I am sorry, and I am sorry.”

Explaining a specific program, Keyamo emphasized that the World Bank managed the associated account, and the agency heads, including himself, were never involved in handling the funds. The money was directly disbursed to the beneficiaries, and comprehensive records of the transaction were meticulously maintained within the ministry.

Keyamo’s presence before the Senate was a result of a last-minute nomination by President Bola Tinubu. However, the session took an unexpected turn when Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia Central) moved to suspend the nominee’s screening. Nwokocha reminded Keyamo of past instances where he had insulted lawmakers and highlighted corruption allegations that had been levied against him. Additionally, Nwokocha cited Keyamo’s failure to respond to the National Assembly’s summons in 2020 regarding the employment scheme for 774,000 Nigerians.

The suspension motion caused a tumultuous scene within the Senate, but Senate President GodsWill Akpabio managed to restore order. Following a closed-door session, Keyamo returned to the plenary three hours later, offering his sincere apologies to the lawmakers for his past actions.