Political Earthquake: Tinubu Unveils Star-Studded Ambassadorial List Featuring Fani-Kayode, Omokri, Others

President Bola Tinubu has approved a fresh batch of non-career and career ambassadorial nominees, just days after forwarding initial names to the National Assembly for screening.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The latest list features several prominent figures, including former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, ex-presidential aide Reno Omokri, former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, and former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

In total, President Tinubu has nominated 32 individuals—15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors—for Senate confirmation. He conveyed the nominations in two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the list includes 10 women across both categories.

Onanuga noted:
“Among the non-career ambassadorial nominees are Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia; former presidential aide Reno Omokri (Delta); former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

“Others include former Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari; Yakubu N. Gambo, a former Plateau State Commissioner and deputy executive secretary of UBEC; Professor Nora Ladi Daduut, a former Plateau senator; former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro; ex-Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra.

“Also nominated are former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande; ex-Adamawa Senator Grace Bent; former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo; and former envoy to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.”

Career ambassadorial nominees 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).

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

The ambassadors, once confirmed, will be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strategic relations—such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya—as well as to key multilateral missions including the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union.

Additional nominations are expected in the coming days. The latest list follows an earlier batch of three nominees designated for ambassadorial postings to the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.