The Senate on Thursday commenced the screening of President Bola Tinubu’s nominee for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, as part of efforts to fill key positions in the Federal Executive Council.
Darma was ushered into the chamber at about 12:32 p.m., where he appeared before lawmakers during plenary for the mandatory confirmation process.
At the time of filing this report, senators had begun engaging the nominee with questions focused on his qualifications, policy direction, and preparedness to oversee the nation’s housing sector.
His screening follows a formal request sent to the Senate by the President on Wednesday, seeking legislative approval for his appointment.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who read the President’s letter during plenary, referred the nomination to the Committee of the Whole, asking lawmakers to conclude their review as quickly as possible.
Darma, an engineer by training, graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University Kano. He is expected to bring technical expertise to a ministry tasked with addressing Nigeria’s growing housing shortage and urban infrastructure challenges.
However, his nomination comes with some political history. During the 2023 general elections, Darma was the deputy governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party but was later expelled after endorsing the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dikko Radda, at a meeting the party described as unauthorised.
Despite that controversy, his nomination is viewed in some quarters as part of the administration’s broader strategy to bring technocrats into critical infrastructure-related ministries, especially in housing where demand continues to exceed supply in many urban areas.
The Senate is expected to wrap up the screening process and decide on his confirmation in the coming days.
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