President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a second batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, days after forwarding an initial list of three candidates.
The latest submissions include 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.
In two letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu urged the Upper Chamber to give the nominations prompt consideration. The new list features four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career selections.
High-Profile Figures on the Non-Career List
The non-career nominees include several notable political figures and former government officials. Among them are former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmud Yakubu, former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also named are Barr. Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia); Tasiu Musa Maigari, a former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly; Yakubu N. Gambo, a former Plateau State Commissioner; and Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut, a former Senator from Plateau.
Others include former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode; Barr. Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra); former Oyo First Lady Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent; former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo); and former Ambassador to the Holy See Paul Oga Adikwu.
Career Diplomats on the List
The career ambassadorial 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).
Postings to Strategic Missions Expected
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the nominees will be deployed to countries and multilateral missions where Nigeria maintains “excellent and strategic bilateral relations.” These include China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, as well as missions to the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
Onanuga added that specific postings will be announced only after Senate confirmation.
Earlier Nominations
Last week, President Tinubu submitted three initial ambassadorial nominees: Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun). They are expected to be considered for key diplomatic postings to the United Kingdom, United States, or France.
The presidency said additional names will be forwarded to the Senate in the coming weeks.
