The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, ex-presidential aide, Mr Reno Omokri, and 60 other nominees as ambassadors.
The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report submitted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which screened the list of ambassadorial nominees forwarded by President Bola Tinubu.
Presenting the report, the committee stated that all nominees were thoroughly examined and found suitable for appointment based on their qualifications, experience, conduct and understanding of international diplomacy.
The exercise came about 48 hours after the Senate had confirmed three nominees of the President as non-career ambassadors. Those earlier confirmed include Mr Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun State), Mr Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State) and Mr Ayodele Oke (Oyo State).
Among those cleared on Thursday were former Minister of Interior, Mr Abdulrahman Dambazau; former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; former Governor of Enugu State, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former Governor of Abia State, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Ita Enang; and Senator Grace Bent, among others.
In total, the list comprises 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners, as well as 30 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners, bringing the number of confirmed nominees to 64.
Notable among the career ambassadorial appointees are Mr Sulu-Gambari Ahmed from Kwara State, Mr Segun Ige from Edo State and Mr Odumah Ehinosen, also from Edo State.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sani Bello (APC, Niger North), said all the nominees were found worthy of the appointments and disclosed that no petition was received against any of them.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio congratulated the newly confirmed ambassadors and urged them to project Nigeria’s image positively in their respective postings.
Akpabio also appealed to Senator Ibrahim to maintain close ties with the National Assembly, noting that the Senate would continue to benefit from his experience and institutional knowledge.
The confirmation came one week after the Senate dismissed reports alleging that petitions had been submitted against some of the ambassadorial nominees, including Fani-Kayode, Omokri and a former INEC chairman.
The upper chamber had denied claims circulating on social media and in political circles that some nominees were facing opposition ahead of their confirmation.
Speaking during Thursday’s proceedings, Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the Senate did not receive any petition or letter of protest against any of the nominees.
“I am telling you that we didn’t receive petitions from anybody, organisation or legal entity. There was no petition against any nominee,” Adaramodu said.
He also rejected criticisms that the screening process was merely ceremonial, stating that the sessions involved substantive engagement and questioning of the nominees.
