Tinubu Asks Senate to Confirm Omokri, Fani-Kayode, Others

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday submitted a fresh batch of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, asking lawmakers to urgently consider and confirm them. This move comes just a day after the upper chamber began reviewing an earlier set of three nominees.

The President’s letter, read aloud in plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, stressed the need for swift action. “I am pleased to present for confirmation the list of 32 ambassadorial nominees for the positions of career ambassadors, non-career ambassadors, and high commissioners,” the letter stated. Tinubu specifically urged the Senate to “consider and confirm expeditiously” 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.

Notably, the new list includes four women among the career ambassadors and six women among the non-career nominees, reflecting a gradual effort by the administration to promote gender balance in Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.

The non-career nominees feature prominent political figures, including Reno Omokri, former presidential aide; Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, former Lagos deputy governor; Otunba Femi Pedro, former Aviation Minister; Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, among others. The full non-career list includes 17 names spanning various states.

Non-Career Ambassadorial Nominees:

1. Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia)

2. Reno Omokri (Delta)

3. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu (Bauchi)

4. Erelu Bisi Angela Adebayo (Ekiti)

5. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu)

6. Tasiu Musa Maigari (Katsina)

7. Yakubu N. Gambo (Plateau)

8. Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau)

9. Otunba Femi Pedro (Lagos)

10. Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun)

11. Barr. Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra)

12. Fatima Florence Ajimobi (Oyo)

13. Lola Akande (Lagos)

14. Grace Bent (Adamawa)

15. Dr Victor Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)

16. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo)

17. Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue)

Meanwhile, the career nominees include experienced diplomats with extensive service records across the country, representing 15 strategic postings.

Career Ambassadorial Nominees:

1. Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia)

2. Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba)

3. Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa)

4. Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi)

5. Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa)

6. Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi)

7. Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun)

8. Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo)

9. Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo)

10. Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger)

11. Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina)

12. Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno)

13. Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna)

14. Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara)

15. Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun)

After presenting the nominations, Akpabio referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing that the committee complete its screening and report back within a week.

The committee had already started reviewing the initial three nominees submitted by Tinubu a day earlier—Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Ayodele Oke (Oyo). The early submission of these three names is seen as part of a phased approach by the administration to fill key diplomatic positions.

During the screening, chaired by former Niger State governor Senator Sani Bello, Ayodele Oke addressed and cleared allegations previously raised against him. The committee is expected to submit its report on these three nominees to the full Senate for consideration in the coming days, even as work begins on the newly submitted list of 32.