President Bola Tinubu has sent a fresh list of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and approval.
The latest nominees includes Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, former Chief of Naval Staff and immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ita Enang, former presidential aide, Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and former Chief of Army Staff
The Senate received the list on Thursday after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the president’s communication during plenary. Tinubu urged lawmakers to give the nominees speedy consideration so that the key diplomatic posts can be filled without delay.
Akpabio immediately referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing the committee to complete its screening and report back within one week.
Insightlinks had earlier reported that President Tinubu had already forwarded 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate shortly after an initial batch of three nominees was submitted.
Those on the list earlier released include former INEC Chairman Prof Mahmud Yakubu, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan (nominated from Delta State) Reno Omokri, former Governor of Enugu State Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi among others.
A statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that Tinubu asked the Senate to confirm 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors.
According to Onanuga, the combined lists include ten women, four in the career category and six as non-career nominees.
Once confirmed, the ambassadors will be deployed to countries with which Nigeria has strong diplomatic and economic ties. Expected postings include China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and major international organisations such as United Nations (UN), UNESCO, African Union (AU) among others.
All ambassadors will receive their specific country assignments after the Senate completes its confirmation process.
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