President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, following the earlier submission of three nominees.
The new list includes former INEC chairman Mahmud Yakubu, former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta), former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun), and former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, among others.
In a statement on Saturday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the nominations were sent in two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Fifteen nominees are designated as career ambassadors, while seventeen are non-career appointees.
The statement further noted that four women are on the career ambassador list, and six women are on the non-career ambassador list.
Among the non-career nominees are Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia), Erelu Adebayo (former Ekiti First Lady), Nkechi Ufochukwu (Anambra), Fatima Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), Lola Akande (former Lagos Commissioner), Grace Bent (former Adamawa Senator), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (former ambassador to the Holy See, Benue).
Career ambassador and high commissioner-designates 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), Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).
According to the statement, the nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains strategic and strong bilateral relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to permanent missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
All postings will be finalized following Senate confirmation.
Last week, Tinubu submitted three nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—for screening, with postings likely to include the UK, USA, or France.
Onanuga added that more ambassadorial nominees will be announced in the coming weeks, reflecting a staggered strategy to fill key positions critical to Nigeria’s foreign policy.
