President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded an additional list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, expanding his ongoing reshuffle of Nigeria’s diplomatic representation abroad.
In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President requested the expeditious confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors, just days after submitting an earlier batch of three nominees.
The latest nominations reflect a blend of career diplomats, political figures, former office holders and technocrats, with women making up four of the career nominees and six on the non-career list.
Prominent among the non-career ambassadorial designates are former Aviation Minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun), former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta), former INEC Chairman Mahmud Yakubu, and ex-Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Others include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu of Abia, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Katsina State House of Assembly Speaker, Tasiu Musa Maigari.
Also nominated are Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, a former senator from Plateau; Otunba Femi Pedro, ex-deputy governor of Lagos State; Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra; former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos commissioner Lola Akande; former Adamawa senator Grace Bent; and former Abia State governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu.
The list further includes Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo State, businessman and lawyer, as well as former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu from Benue State. Yakubu N. Gambo, a former Plateau State commissioner and ex-deputy executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), also made the cut.
On the career ambassador and high commissioner list are seasoned diplomats including 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 nominees are expected to be deployed to countries with strong and strategic bilateral relations with Nigeria, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa and Kenya, as well as multilateral postings to the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union. Specific assignments will be announced after Senate confirmation.
Last week, President Tinubu submitted three earlier nominees — Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa) and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun) — who are being considered for posting to the United Kingdom, the United States or France.
President Tinubu has indicated that more ambassadorial nominees will be announced in the coming weeks.
— Abuja Network News