President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted another batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, just days after forwarding t...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted another batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, just days after forwarding the first set of three names. The president had earlier nominated Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu, and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, who are being considered for postings to the United Kingdom, United States, or France.
In two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu requested the “expeditious” confirmation of 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees. The new list includes 10 women—four among the career nominees and six in the non-career category.
Prominent figures on the non-career list include former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta), former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, former aviation minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former Lagos deputy governor Otunba Femi Pedro, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Also nominated are former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, former UBEC deputy executive secretary Yakubu N. Gambo, and former Plateau senator Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut.
Others on the list include former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos commissioner Lola Akande, former Adamawa senator Grace Bent, former Abia governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, businessman-senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo), and Nigeria’s former envoy to the Vatican, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career ambassadorial nominees comprise Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Maimuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi), Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun), 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).
Once confirmed, the nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong bilateral relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya. Some will be assigned to Nigeria’s permanent missions at the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
President Tinubu has indicated that more ambassadorial nominations will be announced soon.
No comments