NIGERIA: Tinubu Sends 32 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate for Confirmation

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

This was confirmed in a State House press release signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday.

The new transmission comes just days after the President sent an initial batch of three nominees to the Senate.

According to the statement, President Tinubu, in two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requested the expeditious consideration and confirmation of 15 career ambassador nominees and 17 non-career ambassador nominees.

The list reflects expanded gender inclusion, featuring four women among the career nominees and six women on the non-career list.

Among the high-profile non-career nominees are former presidential aide Barr. Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia), public affairs commentator Reno Omokri (Delta), former INEC chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Also nominated are former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, former Plateau Commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo, and past UBEC deputy executive secretary Yakubu Gambo.

Other notable figures include former Plateau senator Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut, former Lagos deputy governor Otunba Femi Pedro, former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, and Barr. Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State.

The list further features former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, ex-Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande, former Adamawa senator Grace Bent, former Abia governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo), and former Vatican envoy Amb. Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).

The career diplomats put forward for confirmation include: 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), Amb. Shehu Barde (Katsina), Amb. Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Amb. Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Amb. Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).

The State House noted that, once confirmed, the nominees will be deployed to countries where Nigeria maintains strategic diplomatic ties, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya—as well as to multilateral missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.