President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday requested the Senate to screen and confirm 41 non-career and one career ambassadors for appointment.
Buhari’s letter of request was read on the floor at plenary by the Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
Among the nominees ar: Debo Adesina (Oyo), Exco-Minister of State for Defence, Ademola Seriki (Lagos) and Mr. Dare Sunday Awoniyi (Kogi).
Also, Buhari asked the Upper Chamber to confirm Mr. Sulyman Sani as a Career Ambassador representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Sulyman’s nomination may not be unconnected with the protest by the Senator Philip Aduda (FCT) that the territory was neglected in the earlier list of Career Ambassadors sent to the Senate for confirmation.
Following the reading of Buhari’s letter, Senator Aduda, through a point of order, thanked the Senate President for helping to ensure that the FCT was not relegated in the appointment of the Career Ambassadors.
He said that he believes that the President of the Senate would also intervene to ensure that the FCT is represented in the appointment of Non-Career Ambassadors.
Other Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate include: Engr Umar Suleiman (Adamawa), L.S. Mandama (Adamawa), Oboro Effiong Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Chief Elijah Onyeagba (Anambra), Abubakar D. Ibrahim Siyi (Bauchi), Philip K. Ikurusi (Bayelsa), Hon. Tarzoor Terhemen (Benue), Paul Ogba Adikwu (Benue), Al-Bashir Ibrahim Al-Hassan (Borno), Brig. Gen. Bwala Yūsuf, Bukar (Borno) and Prof. Monique Ekpong (Cross River).
Also on the list are: Oma Djebah (Delta), Ominyi N. Eze (Ebonyi), Yamah Mohammed Musa (Edo), Maj. Gen. C.O. Ugwu (Enugu), Dr. Hajara I. Salim (Gombe), Obiezu Ijeoma Chinyerem (Imo), Ali M. Magashi (Jigawa), Prof. M.A. Makarfi (Kaduna), Hamisu Umar Takalmawa (Kano), Jazuli Imam Galandanci (Kano), Amina Ado Kurawa (Kano), Amb. Yahaya Lawal (Katsina), Ibrahim Kayode Laaro (Kwara), Abioye Bello (Kwara).
The President also nominated Zara Maazu Umar (Kwara), Henry John Omaku (Nasarawa), Chief Sarafa Tunji Isola (Ogun), Mrs. Nimi Akinkube (Ondo), Adejaba Bello (Osun), Adeshina Alege (Oyo), Ms. Folakemi Akinyele (Oyo), Shehu Abdullahi Yibaikwal (Plateau), Hon. Maureen Tamuno (Rivers), Faruk Yabo (Sokoto), Adamu M. Hassan (Taraba), Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed (Yobe) and Abubakar Moriki (Zamfara) as non-Career Ambassadors-Designate.
Buhari, in one of his letters titled: “Appointment of non-career Ambassadors-Designate” said: “In accordance to Section 171 (1),(2)(c) and subsection (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under listed forty-one (41) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate.”

By Sanni Onogu