Tinubu Sends 32 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate for Confirmation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded 32 new ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, barely a week after submitting an initial list of three candidates.

In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu requested expedited consideration and approval of 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.

Of the nominees, four women are listed among career diplomats, while six women feature in the non-career category.

Notable Non-Career Nominees

Prominent names on the non-career list include:

Barr. Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia)

Reno Omokri, former presidential aide (Delta)

Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, former INEC Chairman

Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Ekiti First Lady

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Governor of Enugu State


Others include former Katsina Speaker, Tasiu Musa Maigari; ex-Plateau Commissioner, Yakubu N. Gambo; and Yakubu K. Musa, former UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary. Also on the list are former Senator Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau), ex-Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and Barr. Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra).

Additional nominees are former Oyo First Lady, Florence Ajimobi; ex-Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa); former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo); and former envoy to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).

Career Diplomats Nominated

The career 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)

Amb. Shehu Barde (Katsina)

Amb. Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno)

Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna)

Amb. Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara)

Amb. Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun)


Deployment Expected After Confirmation

The nominees, once approved, will be posted to countries with strategic diplomatic ties to Nigeria such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to key international missions including the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union.

Last week, President Tinubu submitted the first set of nominees, Amb. Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Amb. Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Col. Lateef Kayode Are (rtd) of Ogun, who are being considered for ambassadorial postings to the US, UK, or France.

Tinubu noted that more names will be forwarded to the Senate in due course.