The Senate on Thursday confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees forwarded by Tinubu, approving both career and non career diplomats to fill long vacant foreign missions across the world.
Those confirmed include a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani Kayode, and a former presidential aide and media commentator, Reno Omokri.
The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report presented by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which stated that all nominees were screened and found suitable for appointment.
Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Senator Sani Bello, said none of the nominees had petitions or formal complaints against them.
He told the Senate that the screening process was thorough and based on qualifications, experience, and public conduct.
According to him, “All the nominees appeared before the committee, responded to questions satisfactorily, and were found worthy of appointment. There was no petition against any of them.”
The confirmation exercise came 48 hours after the upper chamber had approved three other non career ambassadorial nominees. They are Lateef Kayode Are from Ogun State, Aminu Dalhatu from Jigawa State, and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke from Oyo State. With the latest approval, the total number of confirmed ambassadors now stands at 67.
Among those cleared on Thursday are a former Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, a former presidential aide, Ita Enang, a former senator, Grace Bent, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, a former governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and a former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.
In all, the confirmed nominees comprise 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners, and 30 non career ambassadors and high commissioners.
In his remarks after the confirmation, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, congratulated the appointees and urged them to project Nigeria positively in their respective countries of posting.
He reminded them that they would be representing the image, interests, and values of the country abroad.
The confirmation also laid to rest claims circulating on social media that petitions had been submitted against some nominees, including Fani Kayode and Omokri.
The Senate had earlier dismissed the claims, insisting that no such petitions were received.
Reacting to the reports at the time, the Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said, “I am telling you clearly that we did not receive any petition from any individual, organisation, or legal entity. There was no petition against any nominee. The screening was not a take a bow and go exercise. It was detailed and engaging.”
Tinubu had transmitted an expanded list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate on December 4 as part of efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign missions and address gaps created after all Nigerian envoys were recalled in 2023.
