President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after submitting an initial batch of three nominees. In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu requested the swift confirmation of 17 non-career ambassadors and 15 career ambassadors.
Among the nominees, there are ten women—six non-career and four career ambassadors.
The non-career ambassadorial nominees feature notable personalities, including Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, former presidential aide Reno Omokri from Delta, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the ex-chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Other prominent figures include former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Bisi Angela Adebayo, former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Tasiu Musa Maigari, former Speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly.
The list also includes Yakubu N. Gambo, former Plateau State Commissioner and Deputy Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, former Plateau Senator, Otunba Femi Pedro, former Lagos Deputy Governor, and Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister from Osun State. Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu, former First Lady of Oyo State Fatima Florence Ajimobi, Lola Akande, Grace Bent, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu complete the list.
The career ambassador nominees consist of experienced diplomats such as Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu, Yakubu Nyaku Danladi, Miamuna Ibrahim Besto, Musa Musa Abubakar, Syndoph Paebi Endoni, and others. The list also includes Ambassador Shehu Barde, Ahmed Mohammed Monguno, Muhammad Saidu Dahiru, Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari, and Wahab Adekola Akande.
These ambassadors will be posted to strategic countries with strong bilateral ties to Nigeria, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya. Others will serve at Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. Their postings will be confirmed following Senate approval.
Last week, three other nominees were sent for confirmation and are expected to be posted to the UK, USA, or France. President Tinubu has indicated more ambassadorial nominations will follow soon.
