President Bola Tinubu has forwarded yet another batch of non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, introducing several high-profile politicians and retired military leaders who were missing from the earlier list.
The new submission featured former service chiefs, former state officials, and long-standing political actors with deep experience in federal and state governance.
Those named include Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State and former Chief of Naval Staff; Ita Enang, former senator and presidential aide; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and ex-Chief of Army Staff.
Many of them have previously held positions connected to national security, foreign affairs or regional diplomacy, including engagements with institutions like the African Union and the UN Department of Peace Operations.
Their names appeared in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary.
Tinubu asked lawmakers to fast-track their screening, saying the diplomatic missions involved are “critical” and require immediate attention.
Akpabio referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and gave the panel one week to complete its work.
The update comes only days after Tinubu nominated Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode and Mahmood Yakubu as non-career ambassadors, triggering widespread national controversy about the characters and reputations of those to represent the sovereignty of Nigeria in other lands.
Debates Over Tinubu’s Political Appointments Continues
The new additions are expected to stir public scrutiny of the administration’s diplomatic direction.
Some questioned whether political influence is beginning to overshadow professional experience in foreign postings. Others argued that seasoned political actors could strengthen Nigeria’s presence in global institutions, especially given ongoing security, economic and migration challenges.
The ball now passes to the Senate which has the constitutional responsibility to scrutinze if the nominees represent the right mix of character, political weight and diplomatic competence.
Should Nigeria prefer technocrats with foreign policy expertise, but it seems the president is leaning more on trusted political allies to defend the country’s interests, and possibly that of his regime as well.
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