The Senate has been handed yet another tight screening schedule after President Bola Tinubu on Thursday forwarded a fresh batch of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the upper chamber, pushing the number of recent envoy appointments to 35.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the President’s latest communication during plenary, announcing nominees that include former Sole Administrator of Rivers State and ex-Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; former Minister of Interior and onetime Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau; former presidential aide, Ita Enang; and former Imo First Lady, Chioma Ohakim.
Akpabio immediately referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with a directive to screen the nominees and report back within one week—adding to the committee’s already demanding workload.
The new batch arrives just days after Tinubu sent 32 names for diplomatic postings, including former INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu; former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Reno Omokri; and ex-Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that Tinubu, in separate letters, requested the confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors.
The Presidency noted that the nominees are expected to be deployed to countries considered strategic to Nigeria’s foreign policy interests, including China, India, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
“All the nominees will know their diplomatic assignments after their confirmation by the Senate,” the statement added.
