President Tinubu Sends 32 More Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate

President Tinubu Sends 32 More Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, barely a week after submitting an initial batch of three.

In two separate letters read on the floor of the Senate by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President requested the upper chamber to “expeditiously” screen and confirm 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career (political) ambassadors.

The list includes 10 women — four in the career category and six in the non-career category.

Prominent among the non-career nominees are:

- Former Aviation Minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun)

- Former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Bisi Fayemi Adebayo

- Former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

- Former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu

- Businessman and Ondo Senator Jimoh Ibrahim

- Former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro

- Former Oyo First Lady Mrs Florence Ajimobi

- Former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

- Ex-Senator Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau)

- Former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent

- Reno Omokri (Delta)

- Former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande

- Paul Oga Adikwu, Nigeria’s immediate-past Ambassador to the Holy See

The career ambassador nominees include seasoned diplomats such as Amb. Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Amb. Shehu Barde (Katsina), and Amb. Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun), among others.

The new envoys are expected to be deployed to key countries with which Nigeria enjoys strong bilateral ties, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa and Kenya, as well as to Nigeria’s Permanent Missions at the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union. Specific postings will be announced after Senate confirmation.

Last week, President Tinubu had forwarded three names — Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun) — who are being considered for posting to the United Kingdom, United States or France.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said more ambassadorial nominations will be transmitted to the Senate in the coming weeks as President Tinubu continues the process of filling vacant diplomatic positions.