President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, but the absence of any nominee from Cross River State has stirred conversations across political circles.
The list, released on Saturday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, comprises 17 non-career diplomats and 15 career ambassadors. They are expected to represent Nigeria in key countries and international organisations central to the nation’s foreign policy goals.
The non-career nominees include notable political figures such as former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu (Bauchi); former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; former Abia State Governor, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; and ex-Presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta). Also listed are former First Ladies Erelu Bisi Angela Adebayo (Ekiti) and Fatima Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), alongside several former lawmakers and state officials.
Among the 15 career diplomats nominated are Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), and Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), among others.
The nominees are expected to be deployed to strategic countries such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya. Others will be sent to Nigeria’s Permanent Missions to the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union. Their specific assignments will be announced after Senate approval.
While the nomination list spans several geopolitical zones, Cross River State notably received no representation, a development observers say may spark further debate as the Senate begins the confirmation process.
