The Senate will today begin a full-scale screening of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 65 ambassadorial nominees, a process expected to be one of the most rigorous diplomatic evaluations in recent years.
The extensive list, Obtained by Governance Today Nigeria, comprises of 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners alongside 31 non-career nominees, this represents one of the largest single batches forwarded by the Tinubu administration. Lawmakers say the size of the submission reflects the government’s renewed push to reposition Nigeria’s foreign missions and strengthen global partnerships.
Senate Promises Tougher Scrutiny
According to legislative sources, the Senate plans to interrogate nominees closely on their competence, foreign policy understanding, and capacity to defend Nigeria’s interests abroad. Senators say past diplomatic shortcomings have made stricter scrutiny necessary.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has already directed the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to complete the entire screening exercise and submit its report within one week — a timeline seen as ambitious but strategic for speeding up diplomatic deployments.
Prominent Names on the List
The nomination list features several high-profile figures. Among the career diplomats are Ambassador Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed and Ambassador Maimuna Ibrahim, both expected to play key roles in reshaping Nigeria’s engagement with major international partners.
The non-career nominees include two former service chiefs:
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), former Chief of Naval Staff
Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Minister of Interior
Their inclusion has generated public interest, particularly around the government’s increasing reliance on retired security chiefs to fill diplomatic posts.
Yakubu’s Nomination Sparks Debate
One of the most controversial entries is the reported nomination of former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. His inclusion has already triggered a political storm, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warning that the appointment could weaken public confidence in the nation’s electoral system.
Atiku argued that placing a recent election umpire in a diplomatic role raises ethical questions and may deepen concerns about neutrality in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
The ambassadorial overhaul is widely seen as a critical moment for the Tinubu administration’s foreign policy agenda. Analysts believe the outcome of the Senate screening will determine the quality of Nigeria’s representation at a time when global alliances are shifting and diplomatic engagement is increasingly vital.
If confirmed, the new envoys will be expected to drive economic diplomacy, rebuild strained international relationships, and project Nigeria’s interests more assertively on the global stage.
