President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted a new list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after forwarding an initial batch of three names.
In two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President requested the swift confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors. The nominees include four women in the career category and six in the non-career group.
Prominent figures on the non-career list include former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; businessman and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.
Others named are former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia); former Katsina Speaker, Tasiu Musa Maigari; former Plateau Commissioner, Yakubu N. Gambo; ex-UBEC deputy executive secretary, Professor Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra).
Also nominated are former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent; former Abia Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu; and Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu, Nigeria’s former envoy to the Holy See.
The career ambassador and high commissioner nominees include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi) and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).
Others are Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara) and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).
According to the Presidency, the new nominees will be posted to strategic missions in countries such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa and Kenya, as well as multilateral institutions including the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union. Their specific postings will be confirmed after Senate approval.
Last week, the President sent three nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are—who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA or France.
President Tinubu added that more ambassadorial nominations will be announced soon.
