BREAKING: Tinubu Appoints 32 New Ambassadors
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a new batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, just days after sending an initial three nominees. The development was announced on Saturday by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, Tinubu wrote two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requesting expedited confirmation of 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees. Four women feature among the career nominees, while six women are included in the non-career list.
The non-career nominees include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, former presidential aide Reno Omokri of Delta, former INEC chairman Mahmud Yakubu, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Other names include former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, ex-Plateau commissioner and former UBEC deputy executive secretary Yakubu N. Gambo, Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, Otunba Femi Pedro, former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu.
The list also features former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Lagos commissioner Lola Akande, ex-Adamawa senator Grace Bent, former Abia governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo, and former Nigerian ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu from Benue.
Career ambassador and high commissioner 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), Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun), 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).
Onanuga stated that once confirmed, the nominees will be posted to countries where Nigeria maintains strategic relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to multilateral missions like the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union.
Last week, Tinubu had sent three ambassadorial nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—for screening, who are expected to be posted to the UK, USA, or France. Tinubu confirmed that more ambassadorial appointments will be announced in the near future.
