Tinubu Forwards 32 New Ambassadorial Nominees to Senate, Ex-Katsina Speaker, Fani-Kayode, Omokri, Others Make List
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, bringing the second batch days after forwarding the first three names.
In two separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the President requested the expeditious confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors. The new lists include four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.
Among the non-career nominees is Tasiu Musa Maigari, a former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly. Others on the list include former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta); former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Additional nominees include Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, former senator from Plateau; Otunba Femi Pedro, former Lagos deputy governor; Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former aviation minister; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra.
Also nominated are former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent; former Abia Governor, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo; and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career ambassadorial nominees 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), 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).
According to the Presidency, the nominees will be deployed to countries where Nigeria maintains significant bilateral engagements, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. Their specific postings will be announced after Senate confirmation.
Last week, the President submitted three ambassadorial nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are expected to be posted to the UK, USA, or France.
President Tinubu noted that more diplomatic nominations will follow in the coming days.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
