From Victor Osula, Abuja
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 Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State and former Chief of Naval Staff.
Also on the list are former Senator Ita Enang; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and former Chief of Army Staff.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read the President’s request on Thursday.
This latest submission marks the President’s third tranche of ambassadorial selections. The first list featured three nominees, all with extensive security and intelligence backgrounds: Retired Colonel Kayode Are, former National Security Adviser and ex-Director General of the DSS; Ayodele Oke, a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); and Aminu Dalhatu.
The second batch comprised Florence Ajimobi, widow of the late Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, and 28 other non-career nominees drawn from across the federation.
Meanwhile, the third tranche consists of 34 Career Ambassadors and High Commissioners and 31 Non-Career Ambassadors and High Commissioners, totalling 65 nominees.
Notable nominees among the 34 career ambassadorial nominees are Sulu-Gambari Olatunde Ahmed from Kwara State and Segun Ige from Edo State. Notable among the non-career ambassadorial nominees are Senator Folasade Grace Bent from Adamawa State, Senator Solomon Ita Enang from Akwa-Ibom State and Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo State.
The Senate is expected to commence the screening and confirmation process in the coming days.
