The Senate has confirmed Ibas, Mahmood Yakubu, Reno Omokri among 64 ambassadorial nominees
The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointments of 64 ambassadorial nominees comprising 34 career and 30 non-career after adopting the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The confirmation followed the presentation of the committee’s report during plenary, with the Senate sitting as the Committee of the Whole.
President Bola Tinubu’s request for the confirmation of the nominees had earlier been read on the floor of the chamber on December 4.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sani Bello, said the nominees displayed “wide-ranging and in-depth knowledge of international relations, diplomacy and Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives” during the screening exercise.
Among those confirmed as career ambassadors are Amb. Nwaobiala Chukwuemeka (Abia), Betso Maimunah Ibrahim (Adamawa), Monica Enebechi (Anambra), Amb. Mohammed Lele (Bauchi), Syndoph Endoni (Bayelsa), Amb. Ahmed Monguno (Borno), Amb. Adams Jane Bassey (Cross River), Amb. Clark-Omeru Alexandra Efe (Delta), Geoffrey Ijiomah Chima David (Ebonyi), Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen and Amb. Wasa Segun Ige (Edo).
Others include Amb. Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti), Amb. Okechukwu Kingsley Onaga (Enugu), Amb. Magaji Umar (Jigawa), Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Amb. Abdussalam Habu Zayyad (Kano), Amb. Shehu Ilu Barde and Amb. Aminu Nasir (Katsina), Abubakar Musa Musa (Kebbi), Amb. Haidara Mohammed Idris (Kebbi), Amb. Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi), Amb. Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Amb. Ramat Mohammed Omobolanle (Lagos) and Amb. Shaga John Shamah (Nasarawa).
Also confirmed are Sallau Hamza Mohammed and Amb. Ibrahim Danlami (Niger), Adeola Ibrahim Mopelola (Ogun), Reuben Abimbola Samuel (Ondo), Amb. Akande Wahab Adekola (Osun), Amb. Arewa Esther (Oyo), Amb. Gargadi Joseph John (Plateau), Amb. Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata (Rivers), Danladi Yakubu Nyaku (Taraba) and Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru (Sokoto).
Those cleared as non-career ambassadors include Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa), Sen. Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom), former Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu (Bauchi), Amb. Philip Ikurusi (Bayelsa), Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd) (Cross River) and Reno Omokri (Delta).
Others are Abasi Braimah (Edo), Mrs. Erelu Adebayo and Olumilua Oluwayimika Ayotunwa (Ekiti), former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Mrs. Chioma Ohaikim (Imo), Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) (Kano), Tasiu Maigari (Katsina), Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu (Kogi), Olufemi Pedro (Lagos), Muhammed Ubandoma Aliyu (Nasarawa), Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim and Amb. Joseph Olusola Iji (Ondo), Olufemi Fani-Kayode and Prof. Isaac Adewole (Osun).
The list also includes Mrs. Fatima Florence Ajimobi and Mrs. Sulola Akande (Oyo), Dr. Yakubu Gambo and Sen. Nora Daduut (Plateau), Onueze Chukwujinka Okocha (Rivers), Dr. Kulu Haruna Abubakar (Sokoto) and Jerrymon Samuel Manwe (Taraba).
Parliament Reports recalled that earlier in the week, a first batch of nominees—Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa) and retired Col. Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), had been cleared by the committee.
During deliberations, Senator Sahabi Yau (Zamfara North) raised a constitutional point of order, citing Sections 14(3) and 15(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and expressed concern over the absence of Zamfara State in the list of confirmed ambassadors.
In his response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio sustained the point of order, explaining that the list was not exhaustive and that additional nominations would be forwarded to the Senate, noting Nigeria’s use of both resident and non-resident diplomatic missions.
He assured lawmakers that no state would be excluded, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to the federal character principle.
Akpabio congratulated the confirmed ambassadors and urged them to project Nigeria positively in their various postings, while the Senate commended the Committee on Foreign Affairs for what it described as a thorough screening exercise.
