By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Senate has confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees of President Bola Tinubu, including the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu; a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; and former Special Adviser on New Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri.
The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which stated that all the nominees had been screened and deemed suitable for appointment.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Sani Bello, while presenting the committee’s report, stated that none of the nominees had petitions against them and that all were deemed worthy based on their qualifications, experience, and conduct.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio congratulated the appointees and urged them to represent Nigeria positively in their respective postings.
The nominees’ confirmation comes two days after the Senate confirmed Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State), and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke (Oyo State) as non-career ambassadorial nominees, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67.
The list of those cleared on Thursday includes a former Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau; a former presidential aide, Ita Enang; and a former senator, Grace Bent.
Others include a former Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and a former Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.
The list of confirmed nominees comprises 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners and 30 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.
President Tinubu had transmitted an expanded list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate on December 4 in a bid to fill long-vacant diplomatic posts and reposition Nigeria’s foreign missions.
The transmission followed months of delay after Tinubu recalled all ambassadors from Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions in September 2023, including 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates.
He said the move was part of what was described as a “comprehensive diplomatic review.”
The president’s delay in appointing ambassadors drew criticism as most missions have been led by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers with limited authority to represent Nigeria in formal negotiations.
