By Sandra Ugwu 

Nigeria’s diplomatic circle is set for another major shake-up as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. The submission comes barely a week after the President forwarded the first batch of three nominees.

According to a State House statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the new list comprises 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors, with a combined total of 10 women represented across both categories.

In correspondence sent to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu urged the upper chamber to undertake an expedited screening process to facilitate Nigeria’s renewed diplomatic engagements.

Prominent names on the non-career list include former INEC Chairman Mahmud Yakubu, former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Lagos Deputy Governor Otunba Femi Pedro, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi, and former Governor of Abia State Okezie Ikpeazu. Also nominated are political aide–turned–activist Reno Omokri, business mogul and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, and former envoy to the Holy See Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu.

Those listed for career ambassadorial postings 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), Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun), and others drawn from Niger, Edo, Ondo, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, and Osun States.

The nominees, once confirmed, are expected to assume duties in countries with which Nigeria maintains key strategic partnerships, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya as well as permanent missions to the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.

This fresh batch follows the earlier nomination of Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA, or France.

The Presidency added that more ambassadorial nominations will be released in due course as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s global diplomatic presence.