President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has put forward a new batch of ambassadorial nominees, including Femi Fani-Kayode, Reno Omokri and former INEC Chairman Professor Mahmud Yakubu, bringing the latest list to 32 names submitted to the Senate for confirmation.
The fresh nominations were announced in a statement released on Saturday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled “Tinubu nominates 32 additional ambassadors.” The President transmitted two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, urging lawmakers to swiftly screen 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.
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According to Onanuga, the new list includes four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career picks. The non-career slate features notable figures such as former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, ex-Lagos deputy governor Otunba Femi Pedro, and former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode.
Others named include former Plateau commissioner Yakubu N. Gambo, former Oyo First Lady Florence Ajimobi, former Adamawa senator Grace Bent, former Abia governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, Nkechi Ufochukwu of Anambra, and former Nigerian envoy to the Vatican, Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career nominees include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu of Abia, Yakubu Nyaku Danladi of Taraba, Miamuna Ibrahim Besto of Adamawa, Musa Musa Abubakar of Kebbi, Syndoph Paebi Endoni of Bayelsa, Chima Geoffrey Lioma David of Ebonyi and Mopelola Adeola Ibrahim of Ogun. Also on the list are Abimbola Samuel Reuben of Ondo, Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah of Edo, Hamza Mohammed Salau of Niger, Ambassador Shehu Barde of Katsina, Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno of Borno, Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru of Kaduna, Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari of Kwara and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande of Osun.
Onanuga explained that the nominees are being considered for deployment to countries where Nigeria maintains strong diplomatic relationships, including China, India, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Korea, South Africa and Kenya. Some will also be posted to permanent missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union. Specific postings will be announced after Senate confirmation.
This comes just a week after the President forwarded three initial ambassadorial candidates, Ambassador Ayodele Oke of Oyo, Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu of Jigawa and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are of Ogun, for screening. They are expected to be posted to the UK, USA or France once confirmed.
Onanuga added that more diplomatic nominations will be released soon as the administration continues a phased rollout of envoy appointments aligned with Nigeria’s foreign-policy priorities.
