President Bola Tinubu has sent a fresh list of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, expanding the earlier batch released by the presidency. The new additions include Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State and a former Chief of Naval Staff. Also nominated are former senator Ita Enang, Chioma Ohakim, a former first lady of Imo State, and Abdulrahman Dambazau, a former Minister of Interior and retired Chief of Army Staff.
The names were read during Thursday’s plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who confirmed that they were not part of the initial submission. Tinubu asked lawmakers to give the nominees swift approval so that key diplomatic positions can be filled without delay.
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Akpabio forwarded the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and directed the panel to complete its screening and return its report within one week.
The nominations come only days after Tinubu put forward Reno Omokri, former presidential aide, Femi Fani-Kayode, former aviation minister, and Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past INEC chairman, for ambassadorial roles. The expanded list signals the administration’s move to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic front as it prepares to fill strategic postings across several countries.
