By Muhammed Akindele
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a new batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, expanding on the initial list of three names he sent days earlier.
In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu urged the Senate to give speedy consideration to 15 career ambassador nominees and 17 non-career nominees. The list features 10 women—four among career nominees and six among non-career nominees.
Notably, the President included several high-profile political figures among the non-career nominees. Former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, former INEC chairman Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi all made the list.
Others nominated as non-career envoys include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia), former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, Plateau politician Yakubu N. Gambo, and former UBEC deputy executive secretary. Also listed are former Lagos deputy governor Otunba Femi Pedro, former senator Nora Ladi Daduut, Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu, former Oyo First Lady Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos commissioner Lola Akande, former Adamawa senator Grace Bent, former Abia governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and former Vatican envoy Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career ambassador nominees include 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—once confirmed—will be deployed to countries with strategic diplomatic ties to Nigeria, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union.
This new list follows last week’s transmission of three ambassadorial 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 if confirmed.
President Tinubu added that additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced soon.
