President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted a second batch of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, seeking the confirmation of 32 individuals—comprising 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees—days after forwarding the first set of three names.
The development was announced in a statement on Saturday by the President’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga, who explained that the nominations were contained in two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Tinubu urged the upper chamber to give the nominees accelerated consideration and confirmation.
According to Onanuga, the new list reflects a deliberate mix of experienced diplomats, technocrats, and political figures, including 10 women—four career officers and six non-career nominees.
Among the 17 non-career ambassadorial nominees are notable public figures such as former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta); former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Also listed are former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi; and former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande.
Other nominees include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia); former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari; former UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary Yakubu N. Gambo (Plateau); former Senator Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau); Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu (Anambra); former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent; former Abia Governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo State; and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).
The 15 career diplomats on the list include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna 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).
Onanuga added that the nominees will be deployed to strategic diplomatic missions where Nigeria seeks to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relationships, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and permanent missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union. Their specific postings will be announced after Senate confirmation.
Last week, President Tinubu submitted the first batch of three nominees—Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun)—who are expected to be posted to top-tier missions in the UK, USA, or France.
According to the statement, more ambassadorial nominations will be unveiled in the coming days as the administration continues its diplomatic restructuring.