• Ugwuanyi, Enang, Dambazau, Ibok-Ete, others make list

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Senate has received two separate requests from President Bola Tinubu seeking the confirmation of 65 ambassadorial nominees, comprising 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners and 31 non-career nominees.

This came a week after the President forwarded an initial batch of three ambassadorial nominees, comprising Kayode Are from Ogun State, Aminu Dalhatu from Jigawa State and Ayodele Oke from Oyo State, all of whom were screened on Wednesday by the committee chaired by Senator Abubakar Sani Bello.

The requests, read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary yesterday, were transmitted in line with Section 171 (1), (2), and (4) of the 1999 Constitution, with Tinubu urging the Senate to give the nominations expeditious consideration.

Prominent names on the list include Senator Solomon Ita Enang from Akwa Ibom State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) from Cross River State, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) from Kano State, Senator Grace Bent from Adamawa State, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo State, Femi Fani-Kayode from Osun State, Florence Ajimobi from Oyo State and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The full breakdown of the 34 career ambassadorial nominees includes Ambassador Ezenwa Chukwuemeka from Abia State, Maimuna Ibrahim from Adamawa State, Monica Ogochukwu from Anambra State, Ambassador Mohammed Mahmoud Lele from Bauchi State, Endoni Sindo from Bayelsa State, Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno from Borno State, Jane Adams Okon Michael from Cross River State, Clark Omeruo Alexandra from Delta State, Chima Geoffrey Davies from Ebonyi State, Oduma Yvonne Ehinose and Wasa Segun Ige from Edo State, Ambassador Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel from Ekiti State, Ambassador Onaga Ogechukwu Kingsley from Enugu State, Magaji Umar from Jigawa State, Mohammed Saidu Dahiru from Kaduna State, Abdulsalam Abus Zayat from Kano State, Shehu Barde and Aminu Nasiu from Katsina State, Abubakar Musa Musa and Mohammed Idris from Kebbi State, Bako Adamu Umar from Kogi State, Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed from Kwara State, Ramata Mohammed from Lagos State, Shaga John Shama from Nasarawa State, Salau Hamza Mohammed and Ibrahim Danlami from Niger State, Adeola Ibrahim Mopelola from Ogun State, Reuben Abimbola Samuel from Ondo State, Akande Wahab Adekola from Osun State, Adedokun Esther from Oyo State, Gedagi Joseph John from Plateau State, Luther Obomode Ayokalata from Rivers State, Danladi Yakubu Yaku from Taraba State and Bello Dogondaji from Zamfara State.

The 31 non-career ambassadorial nominees are Senator Grace Bent from Adamawa State, Senator Ita Enang from Akwa Ibom State, Nkechi Linda Okocha from Anambra State, Mahmud Yakubu from Bauchi State, Philip K. Ikurusi from Bayelsa State, Paul Oga Adikwu from Benue State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) from Cross River State, Abasi Braimah from Edo State, Erelu Angela Adebayo and Olumilua Oluwayimika Ayotunwa from Ekiti State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi from Enugu State, Chioma Ohakim from Imo State, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (retd) from Kano State, Tasiu Musa Maigari from Katsina State, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Aliyu from Kogi State, Olufemi Pedro from Lagos State, Mohammed Ubandoma Aliyu from Nasarawa State, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and Ambassador Joseph Sola Iji from Ondo State, Femi Fani-Kayode and Professor O. Adewole from Osun State, Florence Ajimobi and Lola Akande from Oyo State, Professor Nora Ladi Daduut and Yakubu N. Gambo from Plateau State, Chukwujinka Okocha from Rivers State, Haruna Abubakar from Sokoto State, Jerry Samuel Manwe from Taraba State and Adamu Garba Talba Nangree from Yobe State.

Akpabio referred the lists to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with a one-week deadline to screen the nominees and report back.