President Bola Tinubu has forwarded a list of 68 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for approval, signalling a major reshuffle of Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.
The list, read during Thursday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, comprises 34 career diplomats, 31 non-career appointees, and three candidates previously cleared by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. The President is seeking swift confirmation to enable Nigeria to fill several key foreign missions.
According to the letter, the appointments aim to strengthen Nigeria’s international representation and reposition its diplomatic engagements. The Senate has referred the list to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing it to screen the nominees and submit a report within one week.
Among the non-career nominees are former Chief of Naval Staff and ex–Sole Administrator of Rivers State Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), former presidential aide Ita Enang, former Imo First Lady Chioma Ohakim, and former Minister of Interior Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.).
Others include former Lagos Deputy Governor Olufemi Pedro, former Edo lawmaker Abbasi Brahma, media personality Reno Omokri, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and former Minister Femi Fani-Kayode.
The career nominees, representing all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, are serving diplomats and senior foreign service officers recommended for ambassadorial postings.
The appointments follow ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to bolster Nigeria’s diplomatic presence globally and ensure representation in critical foreign missions.
The full list, as transmitted by the President, includes nominees for all states, with details of career and non-career appointments as well as the three candidates cleared earlier by the Senate Committee.
CAREER AMBASSADORS (34)
- Abia – Mwaobiola Ezeuwo Chukwuemeka
- Adamawa – Maimuna Ibrahim
- Anambra – Enpeji Monica Okochukwu
- Bauchi – Mohammed Mahmoud Lele
- Bayelsa – Endoni Sindup
- Borno – Ahmed Mohammed Monguno
- Cross River – Jen Adams Ni Okun Michael
- Delta – Clark Omeru Alexandra
- Ebonyi – Chima J. Leoma Davies
- Edo – Oduma Yvonne Ehinose
- Edo – Wasa Shogun Ige
- Ekiti – Adeyemi Adebayo Emmanuel
- Enugu – Onaga Ogechukwu Kingsley
- Jigawa – Magaji Umar
- Kaduna – Mohammed Saidu Dahiru
- Kano – Abdul Salam Abus Zayat
- Katsina – Ambassador Shehu
- Katsina – Aminu Nasu
- Kebbi – Abubakar Musa Musa
- Kebbi – Haidara Mohammed Idris
- Kogi – Bako Adamu Umar
- Kwara – Sulu Gambari
- Lagos – Romata Mohammed Omobolanle
- Nasarawa – Shaga John Shama
- Niger – Salau Hamza Mohammed
- Niger – Ibrahim Dan Lamy
- Ogun – Adjola Ibrahim Mopolola
- Ondo – Ruben Abimbola Samuel
- Osun – Akonde Wahab Adekola
- Oyo – Ariwani Adedokun Esther
- Plateau – Gedagi Joseph John
- Rivers – Luther Obomode Ayokatata
- Taraba – Danladi Yakubu Yaku
- Zamfara – Bidu Dogondagi
NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS (31)
- Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)
- Barr. 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-Ette Ibas (rtd.) – Cross River
- Reno Omokri (Delta)
- Abbasi Brahma (Edo)
- Erelu Angela Adebayo (Ekiti)
- Barr. Olumilua Oluwayemika (Ekiti)
- Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwanyi (Enugu)
- Chioma Ohakim (Imo)
- Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.) – Kano
- Tasiu Musa Maigari (Katsina)
- Abubakar Sanusi Aliu (Kogi)
- Olufemi Pedro (Lagos)
- Barr. Mohammed Obanduma Aliu (Nasarawa)
- Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo)
- Ambassador Joseph Yusuf Shara’aji (Ondo
- Femi 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)
FIRST BATCH CLEARED BY SENATE COMMITTEE (3)
- Ayodele Oke – Oyo
- Amin Mohammed Dalhatu – Jigawa
- Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are – Ogun
