Our Reporter, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after forwarding an initial batch of three candidates. The latest nominations were disclosed in an official statement issued on Saturday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, President Tinubu, in two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urged the upper chamber to “consider and confirm expeditiously” 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.
The non-career nominees include several notable political figures: former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; former presidential aide, Reno Omokri; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former Ekiti State First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and Barr. Ogbonnaya Kalu of Abia State.
Others named in the statement are former Katsina Assembly Speaker, Tasiu Musa Maigari; ex-UBEC deputy executive secretary, Yakubu N. Gambo; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barr. Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra.
Also featuring on the list are former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent; former Abia State Governor, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu; Ondo businessman and senator, Jimoh Ibrahim; and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Amb. Paul Oga Adikwu.
On the career list are 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 include Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Amb. Shehu Barde (Katsina), Amb. Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Amb. Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Amb. Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).
Onanuga stated that the nominees, once confirmed, “are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains excellent and strategic bilateral relations,” listing China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and multilateral missions such as the UN, African Union, and UNESCO.
He also recalled that the President had earlier nominated three diplomats—Amb. Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Amb. Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Col. Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA, or France.
The statement further said more ambassadorial nominees will be announced soon.
