President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, barely days after forwarding an initial batch of three candidates.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, on Friday said the President transmitted the names in two separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. According to the statement, the President requested the Senate to give expedited consideration to 15 career ambassadorial nominees and 17 non-career nominees.
The list includes four women among the career nominees and six among the non-career nominees.
Prominent non-career nominees include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia), former presidential aide; Mr. Reno Omokri (Delta); former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Others nominated are former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Tasiu Musa Maigari; former Plateau Commissioner, Yakubu N. Gambo; and former Deputy Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Yakubu Gambo.
Also on the list are former Plateau Senator, Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra).
The nominees further include former Oyo First Lady, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Mrs. Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent; former Abia Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo); and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).
The 15 career ambassador and high commissioner-designates 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 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 which Nigeria maintains strategic bilateral ties, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya. Others will be posted to Nigeria’s Permanent Missions at the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union. Their specific postings will be assigned after Senate confirmation.
Last week, President Tinubu forwarded three nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are being considered for postings to the UK, U.S., or France.
The President noted that more ambassadorial nominations will be announced in due course.
