Ministerial Screening: Nominee’s Age Raises Eyebrows in 10th Senate

The Senate chambers witnessed a moment of controversy during the screening of Prof. Joseph Utsev, a ministerial nominee, which has become one of the most talked-about incidents in the 10th Senate session. Utsev’s appearance before the lawmakers on Monday, July 31, 2023, sparked a prolonged drama that left both the Senators and the public intrigued.

The nominee, who is renowned as the pioneer Rector of Federal Polytechnic Wannune, Benue State, presented his credentials to the lawmakers. According to his resume, he claimed to have been born in 1980 and completed his primary education in 1989, implying that he started his primary schooling at the tender age of four.

However, Senator Tokunbo Abiru noticed what he perceived as a discrepancy in the nominee’s credentials and promptly inquired about the age Utsev began his primary education, given that his resume indicated he finished his primary school at the age of nine.

In response to the question, Prof. Utsev clarified that he commenced his primary education in 1984. Nevertheless, some of the lawmakers disputed his explanation and remained unconvinced.

Steering the proceedings, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on Senator Abba Moro to address the matter. In his submission, Moro suggested that the inconsistency in Utsev’s profile might simply be a typo. Consequently, he urged the Senate to proceed with the nomination confirmation.

Backing up Utsev’s claim, Senator Elisha Abbo shared his own experience, asserting that it is plausible for the ministerial nominee to have started his formal education at the age of four. Abbo recalled how he, too, wrote the common entrance exam while in primary three and successfully passed.

Considering the differing opinions on the matter, Senate President Akpabio requested the nominee to exit briefly and verify his credentials. He suggested that the alleged error could indeed be a mere typo, as Senator Moro had proposed.

In conclusion, the screening of Prof. Joseph Utsev, a ministerial nominee, has turned into a gripping spectacle in the 10th Senate. As the controversy surrounding his age of starting primary education lingers, the public awaits the outcome of the recheck to shed light on this intriguing Senate drama.