Tinubu Unveils New Envoys, Lists Omokri and Fani-Kayode Among Picks

President Bola Tinubu has sent a new list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, naming a mix of political figures, former governors, ex-ministers and career diplomats in one of the broadest diplomatic reshuffles of his administration.

The list includes former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; immediate past INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu; former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode; and former presidential aide Reno Omokri. Also nominated are former Abia governor Okezie Ikpeazu and former Lagos deputy governor Femi Pedro, signalling an expanded political spread in Nigeria’s next set of envoys.

Tinubu’s request was conveyed in two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, with a call for lawmakers to “consider and confirm expeditiously” the candidates put forward as career and non-career ambassadors.

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A breakdown of the nomination by President Tinubu shows 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career nominees, including four women on the career list and six on the non-career list. The non-career category features Ondo senator and businessman Jimoh Ibrahim; former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo; former Adamawa senator Grace Bent; former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari; former UBEC deputy executive secretary Yakubu N. Gambo; former Plateau senator Nora Ladi Daduut; former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi; ex–Lagos commissioner Lola Akande; and Paul Oga Adikwu, a former envoy to the Holy See.

The career nominees by include Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi) and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).

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Others on the list are Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the envoys are expected to be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong and strategic diplomatic ties, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa and Kenya, as well as multilateral missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union. Their specific postings will be determined after Senate confirmation.

This latest list comes only days after the President sent an initial batch of three nominees, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, who are being considered for postings to the UK, US, or France.