A ministerial nominee, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, collapsed during his Senate screening on Wednesday. While undergoing questioning, Lawal, who appeared visibly fatigued, suddenly lost consciousness.
Concerned senators rushed to his aid and promptly called for assistance.
Upon the occurrence of the incident, Senate President Godswil Akpabio urgently requested water and sugar to revive the ministerial nominee.
“Water, water! Can you provide him with sugar and water? Could someone bring water and sugar? Please, call Dr. Wale!” Akpabio exclaimed.
He also instructed the cameramen to exit the chamber as senators assisted Abbas to a seat.
At the time of this report, he had been taken to the hospital, but his condition remained uncertain. It was not immediately clear whether medical personnel were present, although the National Assembly has a fully functional clinic within the complex.
Abbas Lawal, hailing from Kaduna State, was screened alongside Jamila Bio Ibrahim from Kwara State and Mr. Ayodele Olawande from Ondo State. Lawal was the second nominee to be screened.
Recall that Balarabe Abbas Lawal had been nominated by President Bola Tinubu as a replacement for former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.