Tinubu nominates Sulu-Gambari Ahmed, Grace Bent, Ita Enang, 62 others as ambassadors-designate

…34 career, 31 non-career ambassadors

The Senate on Thursday received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request seeking confirmation of 65 ambassadorial nominees.

The request, presented in two separate communication letters and read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, contains nominations into two categories: 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners, and 31 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners–designate.

Read also: Vacant embassies stir calls for strong, smart ambassadors

Among the 34 career diplomats are Ambassador Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed from Kwara State, Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno from Borno State, and Ambassador Maimuna Ibrahim from Adamawa State, alongside several other seasoned foreign service officers drawn from all geopolitical zones.

The career list also includes nominees from states such as Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara, reflecting a nationwide spread of senior diplomats recommended for foreign postings.

Notable names on the non-career list include former Senator Solomon Ita Enang from Akwa Ibom, Ibok-Ete Ibas, former Chief of Naval Staff from Cross River, and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Chief of Army Staff from Kano State.

Others are Senator Grace Bent, former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, ex-Lagos State deputy governor Olufemi Pedro, former Osun senator Femi Fani-Kayode, former First Lady of Oyo State Florence Ajimobi, Professor Nora Daduut, and other distinguished individuals drawn from diverse professional backgrounds.

President Tinubu, in his request, cited Section 171 (1), (2) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution and urged the Senate to give speedy consideration to the nominees to enable Nigeria to strengthen its diplomatic representation across the world.

In response, Senate President Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, mandating it to screen all 65 nominees and submit its report within one week for further legislative action.

The latest transmission comes barely a week after the President forwarded three other ambassadorial nominees: Kayode Are from Ogun State, Aminu Dalhatu from Jigawa, and Ayodele Oke from Oyo State.

The trio were screened on Wednesday by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Abubakar Bello.

With this set of 65 nominees joining the earlier three, the Senate is now preparing for one of its largest rounds of ambassadorial screening in recent years, as the Tinubu administration moves to reposition Nigeria’s foreign missions and strengthen international diplomatic engagements.

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