President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, just days after forwarding an initial batch of three names.
In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu requested the expeditious consideration of 15 career ambassadorial nominees and 17 non-career nominees.
According to the submission signed by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the new list features four women among the career nominees and six among the non-career nominees.
Among the non-career nominees are prominent Nigerians such as former presidential aide Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia); author and political commentator Reno Omokri (Delta); former INEC Chairman Professor Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Others on the list include former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari; former Plateau Commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo; and former UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary Abdulkadir Saidu.
Also nominated are former Plateau senator Professor Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra).
Additional nominees include former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi; ex-Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande; former Adamawa senator Grace Bent; former Abia Governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; businessman and Ondo senator Jimoh Ibrahim; and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).
For career ambassador and high commissioner positions, the nominees 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); 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).
According to the Presidency, the envoys, once confirmed, will be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strategic diplomatic engagements, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union.
The President had earlier, last week, forwarded three ambassadorial nominations: Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo); Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa); and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—all expected to be posted to the UK, USA, or France after confirmation.
President Tinubu noted that more ambassadorial nominations will be transmitted to the Senate in due course.
