President Bola Tinubu has requested the Senate to expeditiously confirm the sack of the chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera.

This is contained in a letter by President Bola Tinubu read out by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Tuesday.

Tinubu also sought the confirmation of Oluwole Andama as the Executive Director of the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund in the Nigerian Midstream, Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

Senate President, however, referred both requests by the President to the Senate Committee of the Whole and Senate Committee on Gas and Downstream.

The Senate thereafter entered into an executive section to discuss urgent matters of national importance, which Sen Godswill Akpabio hinted to be around national security.

Tinubu’s request comes three weeks after he relieved Irukera of his duties as FCCPC boss. Also sacked on January 8 is the Director-General/CEO of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Alexander Okoh.

The presidency had explained that the President’s action was “in conformity with plans to restructure and reposition critical agencies of the Federal Government towards protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers and providing a strong basis for enhanced contributions to the nation’s economy by key growth-enabling institutions”.

Earlier, the President suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, over widespread anger emanating from an alleged misappropriation of N585m.

Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, stated that the “two dismissed Chief Executives are directed to hand over to the next most senior officer in their respective agencies, pending the appointment of new Chief Executive Officers”.

No reason was given for their sack.