Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominee struggles to name Ekiti senators

President Bola Tinubu

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A routine ambassadorial screening turned dramatic on Wednesday when one of President Bola Tinubu’s career nominees, Emmanuel Adeyemi, stumbled over a basic question many senators considered fundamental: naming all three senators from his home state of Ekiti.

Adeyemi, currently a deputy director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had dazzled the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with an impressive résumé spanning Hong Kong and France, where he earned a PhD.

But the atmosphere shifted the moment he attempted to pay tribute to “the two senators from my state.”

He confidently mentioned Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator Yemi Adaramodu, then froze.

When prodded to name the third senator, Adeyemi appeared startled, prompting senators to remind him that three lawmakers represent every state.

As a member of his delegation scrambled to “Google” the name of the third senator – Senator Cyril Fasuyi, the panel expressed outrage.

Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) condemned the lapse, describing it as emblematic of a troubling decline among public office nominees.

“Much as we admit that one man can’t know everything, it is expected that somebody like you, who has been nominated to represent the country as an ambassador, should know details like the three senators from your state.

“It is even important that the people we are presenting to the international perception of our country are competent enough to repair our image,” he said.

Senators Adams Oshiomhole and Seriake Dickson backed Ekpenyong’s criticism, while Senator Yunus Akintunde—standing in for Senate Leader Bamidele—pleaded for leniency.

“Please forgive him. Please let us overlook his mistake and pardon him for not knowing that Ekiti, like other states, has three senators,” Akintunde said, though he also noted his disappointment at the frantic Google search.

Adeyemi is one of Tinubu’s three nominees from Ekiti, alongside Erelu Angela Adebayo and Olumilua Oluwayemika.

The panel also screened several other career ambassadorial nominees, including Ahmed Sulu Gambari, Maimuna Besto, Monica Enebechi, Ahmed Monguno, Kingsley Onaga, Magaji Umar and Aminu Nasir.

Former Ondo governorship aspirant Senator Jimoh Ibrahim made a surprise appearance as well. Though not originally among the nominees pencilled for screening on Wednesday, he was invited to “take a bow and go.”

Tinubu last week asked the Senate to confirm a massive batch of 65 ambassadorial nominees, invoking Section 171 (1), (2) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution, and urging lawmakers to “expeditiously” clear the list.

The nominees include seasoned diplomats such as Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), and Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa).

His non-career picks feature political heavyweights like former presidential aide Ita Enang, ex–Chief of Naval Staff Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), and former Army Chief Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (retd.).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio immediately referred the list to the Foreign Affairs Committee, giving it one week to conclude screening and report back.

Wednesday’s exercise also marked the second phase of the ambassadorial clearances.

A smaller batch—Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Ayodele Oke (Oyo)—had arrived earlier, with Oke using his session to respond to longstanding allegations.

The staggered submissions form part of what insiders describe as a strategic restructuring of Nigeria’s foreign service ahead of sweeping changes across diplomatic missions.

The PUNCH journalist, Adebayo, has over 20 years of experience covering politics, health, metro, entertainment and properties

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