President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, just days after submitting an initial batch of three nominees.
Tinubu, in two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requested the swift confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career nominees.
The list features a combined total of 10 women, four among the career candidates and six among the non-career group.
Prominent figures on the non-career list include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu; former presidential aide, Reno Omokri; immediate past chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Others are former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari; ex-Plateau commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo; former Senator Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode; and former Oyo First Lady Florence Ajimobi.
Also nominated are former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande, former Senator Grace Bent, former Abia Governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career ambassadorial nominees include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu, Yakubu Nyaku Danladi, Miamuna Ibrahim Besto, Musa Musa Abubakar, Syndoph Paebi Endoni, Chima Geoffrey Lioma David, Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim, Abimbola Samuel Reuben, Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah, Hamza Mohammed Salau, and seasoned diplomats such as Ambassadors Shehu Barde, Ahmed Monguno, Muhammad Saidu Dahiru, Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari, and Wahab Adekola Akande.
According to a statement by the president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the nominees are expected to be deployed to strategic bilateral and multilateral posts, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and key missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
Their specific postings will be announced following Senate confirmation.
This new batch follows last week’s three nominations, Amb. Ayodele Oke, Amb. Amin Mohammed Dalhatu, and Col. Lateef Kayode Are rtd, who are being considered for postings to the United Kingdom, United States, or France.
Tinubu has indicated that more ambassadorial nominations will be announced in the coming days.
