The Senate on Thursday, December 18, confirmed the nomination of 64 ambassadors, which includes former ministers, ex-governors, and prominent political critics.
For over two years, many of Nigeria’s foreign missions have operated without substantive heads, led instead by chargés d’affaires. This confirmation follows a second, expanded list of nominees sent by President Tinubu on December 4.
The process has been a lightning rod for debate. Critics and opposition parties have characterized the inclusion of figures like Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Aviation Minister and Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide who was a critic of the current administration, as an appointment based on political patronage.
However, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs stressed that the nominees were selected for their experience, conduct, and knowledge of international diplomacy. The Senate cleared a total of 34 career ambassadors as professional diplomats and 30 non-career ambassadors, for a balance representation.
Despite social media outcry, Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu confirmed that no formal petitions were received against any nominee, including the most controversial names.
Out of the 65 names submitted, only the nominee for Yobe State, Adamu Garba Talba Nangree, was not confirmed after failing to appear for the screening session.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged the new ambassadors to see their roles as a call to national service. The newly confirmed ambassadors will undergo a mandatory induction program before receiving their Letters of Credence from the President.
Leave a comment