PRESIDENT TINUBU SENDS 32 ADDITIONAL AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEES TO SENATE

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated 32 additional individuals to serve as ambassadors, forwarding their names to the Senate for confirmation. The Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday.

In the statement, Bayo Onanuga detailed that President Tinubu sent two separate letters to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, requesting the expeditious confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors. The list of nominees includes four women for career roles and six women for non-career roles.

Among the prominent non-career ambassador-designates are Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, former presidential aide Reno Omokri from Delta, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti first lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Other notable nominees include former speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly Tasiu Musa Maigari, former Plateau State Commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo, former senator Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, former Lagos State deputy governor Otunba Femi Pedro, former aviation minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State. The list also features former Oyo first lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande, former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent, former Abia governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Ondo Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and former ambassador to the Holy See Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.

The nominees for career ambassador include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu from Abia, Yakubu Nyaku Danladi from Taraba, Miamuna Ibrahim Besto from Adamawa, Musa Musa Abubakar from Kebbi, Syndoph Paebi Endoni from Bayelsa, Chima Geoffrey Lioma David from Ebonyi, and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim from Ogun. Others are Abimbola Samuel Reuben from Ondo, Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah from Edo, Hamza Mohammed Salau from Niger, Ambassador Shehu Barde from Katsina, Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno from Borno, Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru from Kaduna, Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari from Kwara, and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande from Osun.

Onanuga stated that the new nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains excellent and strategic bilateral relations, such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to Permanent Missions including the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. All nominees will be informed of their specific diplomatic assignments following confirmation by the Senate.

This batch follows last week’s submission of three ambassadorial nominees: Ambassador Ayodele Oke from Oyo, Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu from Jigawa, and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are from Ogun, who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA, or France. Bayo Onanuga also noted that President Tinubu announced more nominees for ambassadorial positions will be announced soon.