Senate Confirms Yakubu, Ibas, Oke, 61 Others As Ambassadors

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of 34 career ambassadors and 30 non-career ambassadors by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Red Chamber took the decision after considering the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The committee’s report was presented and adopted during plenary while the Senate sat as the Committee of the Whole.

Tinubu’s request for the confirmation of the ambassadorial nominees was read on the floor of the Senate on December 4.

Presenting the report, the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sani Bello, said the nominees demonstrated in-depth knowledge of international relations, diplomacy and Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives during the screening.

The career envoys are Ambassador Nwaobiala Chukwuemeka (Abia), Betso Maimunah Ibrahim (Adamawa), Monica Enebechi (Anambra), Amb Mohammed Lele (Bauchi), Syndoph Endoni (Bayelsa), Amb Ahmed Monguno (Borno), Amb Adams Jane Bassey (Cross River), Amb Clark-Omeru Alexandra Efe (Delta), Geoffrey Ijiomah Chima David (Ebonyi), Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen (Edo), Amb Wasa Segun Ige (Edo), Amb Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti), Amb Okechukwu Kingsley Onaga (Enugu), Amb Magaji Umar (Jigawa), Amb Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna). Others are Amb Abdussalam Habu Zayyad (Kano), Amb Shehu Ilu Barde (Katsina) and Amb Aminu Nasir (Katsina), Abubakar Musa Musa (Kebbi), Amb Haidara Mohammed Idris (Kebbi), Amb. Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi), Amb. Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Am. Ramat Mohammed Omobolanle (Lagos), Amb. Shaga John Shamah (Nasarawa), Sallau Hamza Mohammed (Niger), Amb. Ibrahim Danlami (Niger), Adeola Ibrahim Mopelola (Ogun), Reuben Abimbola Samuel (Ondo), Amb. Akande Wahab Adekola (Osun), Amb. Arewa Esther (Oyo), Amb. Gargadi Joseph John (Plateau), Amb. Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata (Rivers), Danladi Yakubu Nyaku (Taraba) and Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru (Sokoto).

The non-career ambassadors are Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa), Sen Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom), Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (Abia), Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu (Bauchi), Amb Philip Ikurusi (Bayelsa), Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd) (Cross River), Reno Omokri (Delta), Abasi Braimah (Edo), Mrs Erelu Adebayo (Ekiti), Olumilua Oluwayimika Ayotunwa (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Mrs Chioma Ohaikim (Imo), Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) (Kano), Tasiu Maigari (Katsina), Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu (Kogi), Olufemi Pedro (Lagos), Muhammed Ubandoma Aliyu (Nasarawa), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo), Amb Joseph Olusola Iji (Ondo), Olufemi Fani-Kayode (Osun), Prof. Isaac Adewole (Osun), Mrs Fatima Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), Mrs. Sulola Akande (Oyo), Dr. Yakubu Gambo (Plateau), Senator Nora Daduut (Plateau), Onueze Chukwujinka Okocha (Rivers), Dr Kulu Haruna Abubakar (Sokoto) and Jerrymon Samuel Manwe (Taraba).

The Senate also recalled that earlier in the week, a first batch of nominees had been cleared by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, including Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa) and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun).

During deliberations, Senator Sahabi Yau (Zamfara North) raised a constitutional point of order, citing Sections 14(3) and 15(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provide for the federal character principle and national unity in public appointments. He expressed concern that Zamfara State was not represented among either the career or non-career ambassadors.

Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio sustained the point of order and assured the chamber that the list of ambassadorial nominees was not exhaustive. He explained that Nigeria operates both resident and non-resident diplomatic missions and that additional nominations would be forwarded to the Senate.

He said that no state would be excluded, reiterating the administration’s commitment to the federal character principle.

The Senate President also urged lawmakers to maintain decorum during plenary, noting that the chamber was still in mourning following the loss of a colleague. He called for sobriety and a sense of national responsibility.

Akpabio congratulated the ambassadors and urged them to serve Nigeria with dedication, integrity and patriotism, while projecting the country positively in their respective postings.

The Senate commended the Committee on Foreign Affairs for what it described as a thorough screening exercise and wished the newly confirmed ambassadors success in their diplomatic assignments.