The Senate has confirmed the appointment of 64 ambassadorial nominees, comprising 34 career ambassadors and 30 non-career ambassadors.
The confirmation followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs during plenary on Thursday.
President Bola Tinubu’s request for the confirmation of the nominees was earlier read in the Senate on December 4.
What the senate said
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Bello, said the nominees demonstrated “wide and in-depth knowledge of international diplomacy” during the screening exercise.
The confirmed career ambassadors include Nwaobiala Chukwuemeka (Abia), Betso Maimunah Ibrahim (Adamawa), Monica Enebechi (Anambra), Mohammed Lele (Bauchi), Syndoph Endoni (Bayelsa), Ahmed Monguno (Borno), Adams Jane Bassey (Cross River), and Clark-Omeru Alexandra Efe (Delta).
Others are Geoffrey Ijiomah Chima David (Ebonyi), Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen (Edo), Wasa Segun Ige (Edo), Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti), and several others across the states.
Non-career ambassadors confirmed
The Senate also confirmed 30 non-career ambassadors, including prominent figures such as Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa), Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom), former Abia State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Vice Admiral Ibas Ibok-Ette (Cross River), Mr. Reno Omokri (Delta), Olufemi Pedro (Lagos), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo), Olufemi Fani-Kayode (Osun), Prof. Isaac Adewole (Osun), Mrs. Fatima Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), and retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano).
Others confirmed include Mrs. Erelu Adebayo (Ekiti), Ugwuanyi Ifeanyi (Enugu), Mrs. Chioma Ohaikim (Imo), Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu (Kogi), Dr. Yakubu Gambo (Plateau), Senator Nora Daduut (Plateau), Onueze Chukwujinka Okocha (Rivers), Dr. Kulu Haruna Abubakar (Sokoto), and Jerrymon Samuel Manwe (Taraba).
The Senate commended the Committee on Foreign Affairs for its thorough work and congratulated the ambassadors, urging them to project Nigeria’s image positively on the international stage.
Federal character concerns raised
During the confirmation, Senator Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara North) raised a constitutional point of order, citing sections 14(3) and 15(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandate adherence to the federal character principle and promotion of national unity in government appointments.
While commending President Tinubu and the Senate for the confirmations, Ya’u expressed concern that Zamfara State was not represented among either the career or non-career ambassadors. He described the omission as an oversight and urged that the state be considered in subsequent nominations.
Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio sustained the point of order and assured lawmakers that the current list was not exhaustive. He explained that Nigeria maintains numerous diplomatic missions, including resident and non-resident postings, and additional nominations would be forwarded in due course.
“No state will be left out,” Akpabio assured, reiterating the administration’s commitment to the principle of federal character. He further called on the newly confirmed ambassadors to serve diligently and leave lasting legacies in their diplomatic assignments.
What you should know
Last month, President Tinubu had nominated a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, and former Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, among 32 ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
In a statement, the Presidency stated that the nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong and strategic bilateral relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and to permanent missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
