President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a second batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after forwarding an initial list of three nominees.
In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu requested the expeditious consideration and confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors. The list includes four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.
Prominent names on the non-career list include former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta), former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia. Also nominated are former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, former Plateau Commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo, and former UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary.
Other nominees include 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 of Anambra. The list also features former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande, former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent, former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo, and former Ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career ambassador and high commissioner-designate list includes 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 envoys will be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains significant diplomatic relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. Specific postings will be assigned after Senate confirmation.
Last week, the President forwarded three nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are expected to be posted to the UK, USA, or France upon confirmation.
President Tinubu noted that additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced in due course.
