President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non career ambassadors out of 32 additional names submitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Of this number, 10 women made the list, with four career ambassadors and six non career ambassadors with notable names like Senator Grace Bent from Adamawa, wife of former Governor of Oyo state, Florence Ajimobi. former First Lady of Ekiti State Erelu Angela Adebayo and Prof Nora Ladi Daduut from Plateau State.
Notable among the nominees, which could raise eye brows is the immediate past INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, whom many would wonder on the strength of what he was nominated,or a reward for the controversial 2023 Presidential election that was marred by what INEC described as glitches.
Former Governors of Abia and Enugu States, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi respectively made the list. Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode and former aise to President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri equally made the shortlist.
The additional 32 ambassadorial nominees comes days after the President had submitted an initial list of three nominees.
In two separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President requested the expedited consideration and confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors.
The nomination list features four women among the career ambassadorial nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.
Notable Non-Career Nominees
The non-career ambassadorial list includes:
- Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia),
- Reno Omokri (Delta), former presidential aide
- Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
- Erelu Angela Adebayo, former First Lady of Ekiti State
- Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Governor of Enugu State
- Tasiu Musa Maigari, former Speaker, Katsina House of Assembly
- Yakubu N. Gambo, former Commissioner in Plateau State and former Deputy Executive Secretary of UBEC
- Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut, former Senator (Plateau)
- Otunba Femi Pedro, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State
- Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation
- Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra)
- Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former First Lady of Oyo State
- Lola Akande, former Lagos Commissioner
- Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa)
- Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, former Governor of Abia State
- Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo), businessman, lawyer, and serving senator
- Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu, former Ambassador to the Holy See (Benue)
Career Ambassadors and High Commissioner 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)
- Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun)
Upon Senate confirmation, the new nominees are expected to be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strategic bilateral relationships, including:
China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as permanent missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
Last week, the President submitted an initial list of three nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are being considered for postings to the United Kingdom, the United States, or France.
President Tinubu noted that additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced in due course.
