President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, days after an initial batch of three names was transmitted for screening.
The latest list features prominent political figures, including former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former presidential aide, Reno Omokri; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“In two separate letters to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu asked the Senate to consider and confirm expeditiously 15 nominees as career ambassadors and 17 nominees as non-career ambassadors,” read a statement on Saturday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the statement titled, ‘Tinubu nominates 32 additional ambassadors,’ Onanuga noted, “There are four women on the career ambassadors’ list and six women on the non-career ambassadors’ list.”
He added, “Among the non-career ambassador designates are Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta), former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti first lady, Erelu Adebayo, and former Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“Others are Tasiu Musa Maigari, the former speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly, Yakubu N. Gambo, a former Commissioner in Plateau State and former Deputy Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission.
“Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, a former senator from Plateau; Otunba Femi Pedro, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister from Osun State; and Nkechi Ufochukwu from Anambra State are on the nomination list,” the statement read.
Also nominated are former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; ex-Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent; former Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu.
The list of career ambassadors includes senior diplomats and technocrats drawn from various states: 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), and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).
Others are 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), and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).
Onanuga added, “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, Kenya, and to Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
“All the nominees will know their diplomatic assignments after their confirmation by the Senate,” it read.
Last week, the President forwarded three earlier 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, United States, or France.
“More nominees for ambassadorial positions will be announced soon,” Onanuga revealed.
Saturday’s transmission aligns with earlier indications that the administration would release the ambassadorial list in phases, prioritising countries of strategic relevance to Nigeria’s foreign policy.