By Editor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a second batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, including the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
This comes barely days after submitting an initial list of three nominees.
In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu requested the Senate to expedite action on the confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadorial nominees.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday in a statement said the new nominees, after their Senate confirmation, 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.
The latest list includes four women among the career nominees and six women on the non-career list.
Included in the ambassadorial nominee list are two loyalists of the Minister of the FCT Nyesom Wike, who were members of the defunct G-5 governors: former governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.
Non-career ambassadors
Prominent figures on the non-career list include former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta); Prof. Yakubu (Bauchi); former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia State.
Others are former Speaker of the Katsina House of Assembly, Tasiu Musa Maigari; ex-UBEC deputy executive secretary, Yakubu N. Gambo; former Plateau senator, Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos deputy governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; and former aviation minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.
Also are Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra); 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 envoy to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).
Career ambassadors
On the other hand, the career ambassadorial nominees comprise 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).
Also on the list 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).
President Tinubu last week 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 posting to the United Kingdom, United States, or France.
The President indicated that additional nominations would be announced in due course.
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