UPDATED: Tinubu appoints ambassadors, writes Senate for confirmation

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday forwarded three non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

The development came as the country faces international pressure to tackle spreading security challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.

In a short covering letter, Tinubu said the nominations were done in line with Section 171 (1), (2)(c) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The nominees were Kayode Are from Ogun State; Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State); and Ayodele Oke (Oyo State).

The President appealed to the Red Chamber to “consider and confirm the appointments expeditiously.”

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who read the letter to his colleagues, referred it to the Committee on Foreign Affairs to produce a report within one week.

In September 2023, Nigeria recalled all 83 ambassadors as part of what the government said was a comprehensive review of foreign operations.

However, replacements had not been named till Tinubu sent the names of three non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate on Wednesday.

After the President of the United States, Donald Trump, categorised Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), and alleged that there was genocide against Christians in the country, the absence of ambassadors was believed the have impacted government-to-government engagements between Nigeria and the outside world, especially with the US over the CPC allegation.

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