The Senate has confirmed the appointments of 64 ambassadorial nominees, comprising 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners, and 30 non-career ambassadors.
The Independent Mirror reports that the Senate confirmed the appointment on Thursday.
Among those confirmed as non-career ambassadorial designates are Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South); former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu; former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang; Reno Omokri; Senator Grace Bent; and Senator Professor Nora Ladi Dadu’ut.
Also cleared were Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State and former Chief of Naval Staff from Cross River State; former Minister of Interior and former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau; former Minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; former Imo State First Lady, Chioma Ohakim; Erelu Angela Adebayo (Ekiti State); Florence Ajimobi (Oyo State); among others.
The Senate equally confirmed 34 career diplomats, including notable nominees such as Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed from Kwara State, Segun Ige from Edo State, and Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen, also from Edo State.
The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Sani Bello (APC, Niger North).
Presenting the report, Bello said all the nominees were found fit for appointment, noting that no petitions were received against any of them.
Recall that during the screening exercise, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim was the first nominee invited and was accorded a red-carpet reception in recognition of his status as a serving senator and member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Recall that the Senate had earlier confirmed Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke (Oyo State) as ambassador-designates before Thursday confirmation of the 64.
In his remarks after the confirmation, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, congratulated the new ambassador-designates and urged them to represent Nigeria with dignity and professionalism in their respective postings.
He also appealed to Senator Ibrahim to remain in touch with the Senate, noting that the chamber would continue to benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience.
