Tinubu Appoints Mahmud, Omokri, Fani-Kayode, Others as Ambassadors
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, expanding Nigeria’s next diplomatic corps with a blend of career diplomats, political heavyweights, former governors, ex-ministers and notable public figures.
The President transmitted the names in two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, seeking the “expeditious consideration and confirmation” of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors.
The new list, which includes 10 women, comes barely a week after the President submitted the first batch of three nominees.
Among the high-profile non-career nominees are former INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former presidential aide and writer, Reno Omokri; former Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode. Also nominated are former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Oyo First Lady, Florence Ajimobi; and former Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.
Other non-career nominees include former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim; former Katsina Speaker, Tasiu Musa Maigari; former UBEC deputy executive secretary, Yakubu N. Gambo; and former envoy to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.
The career ambassadorial nominees—who make up the second half of the list—include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Maimuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi), and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).
Others are Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara) and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).
According to the Presidency, the nominees are expected to be deployed to strategic missions such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union—after Senate confirmation.
The latest submission follows the earlier nomination of three senior envoys—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are being considered for postings to major diplomatic hubs such as the UK, USA or France.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said more ambassadorial appointments will be announced soon as the administration continues to overhaul Nigeria’s foreign service architecture.
