Kaduna minister Balarabe confesses that he fainted from tiredness during screening

Abbas Balarabe, a ministerial nominee from Kaduna State, fainted during his screening by the Senate on Wednesday. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

A Kaduna senator was applauding him after he had given his presentation to the lawmakers when Balarabe, who was nominated by President Bola Tinubu as the successor of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, collapsed.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, immediately called for a closed-door session and ordered that water and sugar be brought to the nominee. He also summoned Dr. Musa, a senator and a medical doctor, to attend to Balarabe.

Balarabe later regained consciousness and explained that he slumped due to exhaustion. He said he had been travelling across the country for various assignments and had not rested well.

“I am fine now. I just need some rest. I thank the Senate President and all the senators for their concern and prayers. I also appreciate the medical team that attended to me,” he said in a statement.

Balarabe, a former secretary to the Kaduna State government, was appointed in April to lead a 65-man transition committee ahead of the swearing-in of Uba Sani as the new governor of Kaduna State.

He is among the three new ministerial nominees sent by the President to the Senate for confirmation. The others are Dr. Jamila Ibrahaim and Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths, respectively.