President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent a fresh batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, expanding Nigeria’s diplomatic reshuffle barely days after the first set of names was forwarded.
The new nominations were contained in two separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement on Saturday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu urged the Senate to “consider and confirm expeditiously” the 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees. He noted that the list features four women among the career nominees and six among the non-career group.
The non-career nominees include notable figures. Former INEC Chairman, Mahmud Yakubu, was named among those to be dispatched to strategic foreign missions.
Also nominated was former presidential aide Reno Omokri, who is expected to represent Delta State in the non-career category. Former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi also appeared on the list, signalling a widening inclusion of political heavyweights in Tinubu’s diplomatic team.
Similarly, former First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Adebayo, and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode were nominated as non-career ambassadors.
The President also included former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro, as well as former Plateau Senator Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, while former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi and former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande were equally selected.
Others named in the statement include former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, former Plateau Commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo, and businessman–senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who represents Ondo State. Former Abia governor Okezie Ikpeazu also made the non-career ambassadorial list, alongside former ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career diplomats nominated by the President include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu from Abia, Yakubu Nyaku Danladi from Taraba, Miamuna Ibrahim Besto from Adamawa, and Musa Musa Abubakar from Kebbi. Others named are Syndoph Paebi Endoni from Bayelsa, Chima Geoffrey Lioma David from Ebonyi, and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim from Ogun State. Experienced diplomats such as Ambassador Shehu Barde from Katsina, Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno from Borno, and Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru from Kaduna also featured in the career category.
According to the Presidency, once the Senate confirms the nominees, they will be posted to countries that maintain strong bilateral ties with Nigeria, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
Tinubu had earlier sent an initial batch of nominees comprising Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu, and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, who are expected to be deployed to the United Kingdom, the United States, or France after confirmation.
Onanuga added that more ambassadorial nominations will be announced soon, explaining that the government is staggering the postings to align with Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities.
