President Bola Tinubu has forwarded to the Senate a request for the confirmation of 65 ambassadorial nominees, comprising 34 career ambassadors and 31 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.
The request was conveyed in a letter read on the Senate floor on Thursday by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
The list of non-career nominees includes former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu; former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.
Others on the list are Senator Ita Enang; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Chioma Ohakim; Bello Danbazau; Vice Admiral Ibok Ete (retd.); and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.
Both the career and non-career lists have been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is expected to screen the nominees and report back to the upper chamber within one week.
The new list of 65 nominees brings the total number of ambassadorial candidates before the Senate to 68. Three of the nominees — Kayode Are, Aminu Dalhatu, and Ayodele Oke — have already been screened by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.