Senate Receives List of 62 Ambassador-nominees[FULL LIST], as Tinubu Requests ‘Expeditious’ Confirmation

Barely 24 hours after it commenced the screening of three ambassadorial nominees, the Senate on Thursday received a new list of comprehensive list of 62 career and non-career ambassadorial nominees for confirmation.

In a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, President Bola Tinubu said that the new list was in line with Section 171 (1), (2) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution, while he urged the Senate to “consider and confirm expeditiously.”

Tinubu in the letter read on the floor of the Senate on Thursday said that, “I am pleased to present for confirmation the list of the 32 ambassadorial nominees for the positions of career ambassadors, non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.”

The list which contains prominent diplomats, politicians and retired top military brass has such names as, Ambassadors Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed, Ahmed Mohammed Monguno, Maimuna Ibrahim; immediate past Sole Admi Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.); Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuany, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Sen. Ita Enag.

Senator Godswill Akpabio after reading the letter reffered it to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with the marching order to revert to the Senate in one week.

Below is the full list of the nominees:

The career ambassadors are: Amb. Ezenwa Chukwuemeka (Abia); Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa); Monica Ogochukwu (Anambra); Ambassador Mohammed Mahmoud Lele (Bauchi); Endoni Sindo (Bayelsa); Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Minguno (Borno); Jane Adams Okon Michael (Cross River); Clark Omeruo Alexandra (Delta); Chimma Geoffrey Davies (Ebonyi); Oduma Yvonne Ehinose (Edo); Wasa Segun Ige (Edo); Ambassador Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti); Ambassador Onaga Ogechukwu Kingsley (Enugu); Magaji Umar (Jigawa); Mohammed Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna); AbdulSalam Abus Zayat (Kano); Shehu Barde (Katsina); Aminu Nasiu (Katsina); Abubakar Musa Musa (Kebbi); Mohammed Idris (Kebbi); Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi); Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara); Ramata Mohammed (Lagos); Shaga John Shama (Nasarawa); Salau Hamza Mohammed (Niger); Ibrahim Danlami (Niger); Adeola Ibrahim Mopelola (Ogun); Ruben Abimbola Samuel (Ondo); Akande Wahab Adekola (Osun); Adedokun Esther (Oyo); Gedagi Joseph John (Plateau); Luther Obomode Ayokalata (Rivers); Danladi Yakubu Yaku (Taraba); and Bello Dogondaji (Zamfara).

The non-career ambassadors include: Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa); Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom); Nkechi Linda Okocha (Anambra); Mahmud Yakubu (Bauchi); Philip K. Ikurusi (Bayelsa); Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue); Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) (Cross River); Abasi Braimah (Edo); Erelu Angela Adebayo (Ekiti); Barr. Olumilua Oluwayimika Ayotunwa (Ekiti); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Chioma Ohakim (Imo); Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (retd.) (Kano); Tasiu Musa Maigari (Katsina); Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Aliyu (Kogi); Olufemi Pedro (Lagos); Barr. Mohammed Ubandoma Aliyu (Nasarawa); Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo); Ambassador Joseph Sola Iji (Ondo); Fani-Kayode (Osun); Professor O. Adewole (Osun); Florence Ajimobi (Oyo); Lola Akande (Oyo); Professor Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau); Yakubu N. Gambo (Plateau); Chukwujinka Okocha (Rivers); Haruna Abubakar (Sokoto); Jerry Samuel Manwe (Taraba); and Adamu Garba Talba (Yobe).

President Bola Tinubu’s adminstration has been heavily criticised for not appointing ambassadors and envoys to man Nigerian foreign missions two years after he took office in May 2023.

President Donald Trump of the US recently declared Nigeria an “ Country of Particular Concern” over an alleged unabated “ Christian Genocide: in the country.

The US President’s declaration has thrown Nigeria into internal and international crisis with Nigerian government struggling to deny the tag. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State on Wednesday announced  new sweeping visa restrictions on some yet to be disclosed Nigerian officials linked to the Christian genocide and religious killings in Nigeria.

Recently, the National Security Adviser, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu led a high level delegation to the US to interface with American officials over the security crisis in the country.

Terrorists upped their violence against Nigerians in the last one with killings and  abductions of over 400 school children and teachers. In Borno State, ISWAP terrorists attacked Nigerian troops, abducted and later killed a Brig General.

Analysts believe that despite the delay in appointing ambassadors, the deployment of representatives in Nigeria foreign missions will help the country to regain confidence in comity of nations and also help in sourcing support for the country’s fight against terrorism and violent crimes.