December 04, (THEWILL) — President Bola Tinubu has submitted a fresh list of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, featuring several prominent former public officials, including Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.), immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State and former Chief of Naval Staff.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the President’s request during plenary on Thursday. The latest submission forms part of Tinubu’s third tranche of ambassadorial nominations and complements earlier batches previously forwarded to the upper chamber.
The first list included three former top security chiefs — Retired Colonel Kayode Are, former National Security Adviser and ex-DG of the DSS; Ayodele Oke, former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency; and Aminu Dalhatu.
The second batch featured 29 non-career nominees, including Florence Ajimobi, widow of the late Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The newly submitted third tranche is the largest so far, comprising 34 Career Ambassadors and High Commissioners and 31 Non-Career Ambassadors, bringing the total to 68 diplomats-designate.
Among the notable nominees are Senator Ita Enang, former Presidential Adviser and ex-lawmaker; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.), former Minister of Interior; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo State; and Vice Admiral Ibas (rtd.), who headlines the non-career nominees from Cross River.
Prominent career diplomats also featured include Ambassador Sulu-Gambari Olatunde Ahmed from Kwara and Segun Ige from Edo.
The 34 career ambassadorial nominees are:
Mwaobiola Ezeuwo Chukwuemeka (Abia); Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa); Enpeji Monica Okochukwu (Anambra); Mohammed Mahmoud Lele (Bauchi); Endoni Sindup (Bayelsa); Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno); Jen Adams Ni Okun Michael (Cross River); Clark Omeru Alexandra (Delta); Chima J. Leoma Davies (Ebonyi); Oduma Yvonne Ehinose (Edo); Wasa Shogun Ige (Edo); Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel (Ekiti); Onaga Ogechukwu Kingsley (Enugu); Magaji Umar (Jigawa); Mohammed Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna); Abdul Salam Abus Zayat (Kano); Shehu (Katsina); Aminu Nasu (Katsina); Abubakar Musa Musa (Kebbi); Haidara Mohammed Idris (Kebbi); Bako Adamu Umar (Kogi); Sulu Gambari (Kwara); Romata Mohammed Omobolanle (Lagos); Shaga John Shama (Nasarawa); Salau Hamza Mohammed (Niger); Ibrahim Dan Lamy (Niger); Adjola Ibrahim Mopolola (Ogun); Ruben Abimbola Samuel (Ondo); Akonde Wahab Adekola (Osun); Ariwani Adedokun Esther (Oyo); Gedagi Joseph John (Plateau); Luther Obomode Ayokatata (Rivers); Danladi Yakubu Yaku (Taraba); Bidu Dogondagi (Zamfara).
The 31 non-career nominees include:
Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia); Senator Grace Bent (Adamawa); Senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom); Nkechi Linda Okocha (Anambra); Mahmoud Yakubu (Bauchi); Philip K. Ikurusi (Bayelsa); Paul Olga Adiku (Benue); Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) (Cross River); Reno Omokri (Delta); Abbasi Brahma (Edo); Erelu Angela Adebayo (Ekiti); Olumilua Oluwayemika (Ekiti); Rt. Hon. Ugwanyi Ifeanyi (Enugu); Chioma Ohakim (Imo); Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd.) (Kano); Tasiu Musa Maigari (Katsina); Abubakar Sanusi Aliu (Kogi); Olufemi Pedro (Lagos); Mohammed Obanduma Aliu (Nasarawa); Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, PhD (Ondo); Ambassador Joseph Yusuf Shara’aji (Ondo); Fani-Kayode (Osun); Ajimobi Fatima Florence (Oyo); Lola Akande (Oyo); Yakubu N. Gambo (Plateau); Senator Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut (Plateau); Onweze Chukwudi (Rivers); Dr. Kulu Haruna Abubakar (Sokoto); Rt. Hon. Jerry Samuel Manwe (Taraba); Adamu Garba Tarba-Nagri (Yobe).
The first three nominees from the initial batch — Oke, Dalhatu and Retired Colonel Are — have already been cleared by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, Akpabio has referred the new list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing the panel to screen the nominees and present its report within one week.
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