Buhari Reappoints Abike Dabiri-Erewa as NIDCOM Chairman

By Adedapo Adesanya

President Muhammadu Buhari has reappointed Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa for a second term as the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

The notice of her reappointment was contained in a letter written by the President to the Senate requesting the upper chamber of the National Assembly (NASS) to confirm her reappointment.

President Buhari also wrote a separate letter to the Senate seeking the confirmation of the appointment of six federal commissioners of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to fill the existing vacancies in the states.

The nominees are Mr Ayogu Eze, Mr Peter Okpara, Mrs Hauwa Aliyu, Mrs Rajiya Ayuba, Mr Kolawole Adebola and Mr Ismailia Agaka.

Meanwhile, the red chamber has mandated its Committee on Interior to investigate the circumstances causing the delay in the issuance and renewal of passports by the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The Senate has also asked its Committee on Interior to probe the contract for the printing of passports by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The Senate issued these directives to its Committee on Interior at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday following a motion by Senator Uche Ekwunife, who said Nigerians are facing hardship and stress in getting their passports.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa has been under fire for the treatment of Nigerians evacuated from conflict-ridden Sudan, facing a power struggle between two generals, with many saying the handling of the evacuation has been rough.

There are about 5,500 Nigerian students expected to arrive from Sudan in the evacuation that commenced last Wednesday.

According to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), 13 buses conveyed the first batch of the evacuees from Khartoum in Sudan to Egypt, from where they will be airlifted to Nigeria.

It was reported that Nigeria hired a total of 40 buses for the evacuation.