Despite receiving varied responses from the opposition and segments of the Nigerian populace, the Senate on Thursday confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu, bringing the total number of confirmed nominees to 67. The Senate confirmed the nominees during its plenary session after reviewing and accepting a report from its Committee on Foreign
Despite receiving varied responses from the opposition and segments of the Nigerian populace, the Senate on Thursday confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu, bringing the total number of confirmed nominees to 67.
The Senate confirmed the nominees during its plenary session after reviewing and accepting a report from its Committee on Foreign Affairs, which stated that all nominees had been screened and were qualified for appointment.
In his presentation during the session, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sani Bello, informed the lawmakers that none of the nominees had petitions against them and that all were found worthy based on their qualifications, experience, and conduct; as a result, they were to be considered for the duties.
Of the approved nominees are 34 are career ambassadors who are professional diplomats, while the other 30 are non-career who were considered based on their political experience and occupation of some leadership positions in the past.
Non-career ambassadorial nominees included former INEC chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, ex-Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode, former presidential aide Reno Omokri, and Ondo South Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.
Others are a former governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; former sole administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas; former deputy governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro; widow of the late former governor of Oyo State, Florence Ajimobi; former Ekiti State First Lady, Angela Adebayo; former Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau; former Akwa Ibom Senator, Ita Enang; and former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent.
Those confirmed as career ambassadors include Amb. Nwaobiala Chukwuemeka (Abia), Betso Maimunah Ibrahim (Adamawa), Monica Enebechi (Anambra), Amb. Mohammed Lele (Bauchi), Syndoph Endoni (Bayelsa), Amb. Ahmed Monguno (Borno), Amb. Adams Jane Bassey (Cross River) and Amb. Clark-Omeru Alexandra Efe (Delta).
Others include Geoffrey Ijiomah Chima David (Ebonyi), Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen (Edo), Amb. Wasa Segun Ige (Edo), Amb. Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti), Amb. Okechukwu Kingsley Onaga (Enugu), Amb. Magaji Umar (Jigawa), Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Amb. Abdussalam Habu Zayyad (Kano), Amb. Shehu Ilu Barde (Katsina), Amb. Aminu Nasir (Katsina) and Abubakar Musa Musa (Kebbi).
Also are Amb. Haidara Mohammed Idris (Kebbi), Amb. Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi), Amb. Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Amb. Ramat Mohammed Omobolanle (Lagos), Amb. Shaga John Shamah (Nasarawa), Sallau Hamza Mohammed (Niger) and Amb. Ibrahim Danlami (Niger).
The rest are Adeola Ibrahim Mopelola (Ogun), Reuben Abimbola Samuel (Ondo), Amb. Akande Wahab Adekola (Osun), Amb. Arewa Esther (Oyo), Amb. Gargadi Joseph John (Plateau), Amb. Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata (Rivers), Danladi Yakubu Nyaku (Taraba) and Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru (Sokoto).
The approval of the 64 individuals came two days after the confirmation of three non-career ambassadorial nominees, namely Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State), and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke (Oyo State), thereby making the number 67.
Addressing the development, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, urged the confirmed nominees to be diligent and patriotic in their duties and be good ambassadors of the country.
The Senate President also noted that the lawmakers are expecting more lists from President Tinubu to ensure that the principle of federal character is duly followed and to ensure that states without representation will be included in the subsequent lists.
Earlier in December, President Tinubu submitted 65 names to the Senate for confirmation as ambassadors of the country, urging the lawmakers to expedite the process. This development came after the President recalled all ambassadors in 2023 after he was sworn in as the President.
Nigeria has been facing diplomatic challenges with certain foreign countries, prompting experts to argue that the country needs robust representation on the global stage in the face of growing economic and security instability, to project its image, protect its interests, and establish meaningful partnerships abroad.
However, the names presented to the Senate by the President raised mixed reactions among Nigerians who insisted that some of the nominees do not have enough qualifications and personalities to represent the country.
On the other side, some also argued that the President has the right and prerogative to appoint those he deems fit for the roles if he believes in their competence and expertise to deliver in their respective duty posts.
Despite different positions, the confirmation by the Senate has elicited mixed reactions, as they are expected to be designated to different countries to represent Nigeria.
