The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has formally referred President Bola Tinubu’s latest batch of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening.
The list, transmitted to the Senate on Thursday, comprises 34 career diplomats and 31 non-career nominees drawn from all corners of the federation.
The nominations, the most extensive since Tinubu assumed office, reflect a blend of experienced envoys, retired service chiefs, former governors, and prominent political figures.
The submission comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic engagement amid evolving global alliances and shifting foreign policy priorities.
During Thursday’s plenary, Akpabio read out the list and directed the Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, to conduct screenings and report back within one week.
Among the career diplomats included in the list are Ambassador Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa), and Mohammed Mahmoud Lele (Bauchi). Other nominees hail from Ekiti, Enugu, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, and several other states, highlighting the administration’s attempt to ensure geographic balance.
The non-career nominees include some high-profile figures, such as former presidential aide and senator Solomon Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom), retired Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Cross River), and retired Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano). Also on the list are former governors, ex-legislators, and influential party figures, including Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Chioma Ohakim (Imo), Olufemi Pedro (Lagos), Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), and Yakubu N. Gambo (Plateau).
This development follows the Senate’s recent screening of a smaller batch of three ambassadorial nominees—Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Ayodele Oke (Oyo)—earlier this week.
However, the nomination of former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu has generated criticism.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar condemned the choice, saying it raises questions about merit and could be interpreted as a political reward.
Speaking via his C Space platform, Atiku argued that appointing a former election umpire embroiled in disputed elections sends the wrong signal to the public and the current electoral leadership.
Full List of Career Nominees Includes:
Abia: Ambassador Ezenwa Chukwuemeka
Adamawa: Maimuna Ibrahim
Anambra: Monica Ogochukwu
Bauchi: Mohammed Mahmoud Lele
Borno: Ahmed Mohammed Monguno
Kwara: Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed
Lagos: Ramata Mohammed
Ogun: Adeola Ibrahim Mopelola
Rivers: Luther Obomode Ayokalata
(Full details available across all 36 states)
Non-Career Nominees Include:
Adamawa: Grace Bent
Akwa Ibom: Solomon Ita Enang
Cross River: Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.)
Kano: Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.)
Lagos: Olufemi Pedro
Oyo: Florence Ajimobi
Plateau: Yakubu N. Gambo
(Full details available across all 36 states)
With the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs now tasked with vetting the nominees, all eyes will be on the upcoming screenings, which will determine the pace at which Nigeria’s diplomatic corps is reshaped under the Tinubu administration.
