President Bola Tinubu has forwarded another batch of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, featuring several high-profile figures, including Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the former Chief of Naval Staff and immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
Also on the fresh list are former senator Ita Enang, Chioma Ohakim, the former First Lady of Imo State and Abdulrahman Dambazau, a former Minister of Interior and ex–Chief of Army Staff. None of them appeared in the earlier set of names released by the Presidency.
The latest nominations were read out by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary, following a letter from President Tinubu.
The President urged lawmakers to speed up the confirmation process to enable the government fill crucial diplomatic positions without unnecessary delay.
Akpabio subsequently directed the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to screen all nominees and submit its report within one week.
Thursday’s development comes days after the President nominated three other prominent Nigerians former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and immediate past INEC chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu as ambassadors.
