Senate Confirms Buhari’s Non-Career Ambassadors, Rejects 2 Nominees

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

Pix: Nigerian Senate in Planery

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen

ABUJA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – At last, the Senate has confirmed nomination of 45 out of 47 non-career ambassadors sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The nominees confirmed Thursday included: ‎Uzoma Emenike (Abia), Aminu Lawal (Adamawa), Godwin Umoh (Akwa Ibom), Christopher Okeke (Anambra), Yusuf Maitama (Bauchi), Baba Maigudu (Bauchi), Stanley Douye (Bayelsa) Stephen Uba (Benue) Baba Ahmed Gida (Borno) Utobong Asuquo (Cross River), Frank Ofegina (Delta) Joda Udoh (Ebonyi), Yagwe Ede (Edo), Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti), Chris Eze (Enugu), Sulieman Hassan (Gombe), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Ahmed Bamilli (Kaduna).

Also confirmed were: Deborah Yahaya (Kaduna), D. Abdulkadir (Kano), Haruna Arungungu (Kano), Musa Udo (Katsina), Mohammed Rimi (Katsina), Tijani Bande (Kebbi), Y. Aliu (Kogi) Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara), Mohammed Isa (Kwara), Adesola Omotade (Lagos), Modupe Remi (Lagos), Musa Mohammed (Nasarawa), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Susan Aderonke Folarin (Ogun), Afolayon Adeyemi (Osun), A. Olaniyi (Oyo), James Dmika (Plateau), Haruna Abdullahi (Plateau), Orji Ngofa (Rivers), Sahibi Isa Dada (Sokoto), Kabir Umar (Sokoto) Jika Ado (Taraba), Goni Zana (Yobe), Garba T. (Zamfara) Bala Mohammad (Zamfara) and Ibrahim Dada (FCT).‎‎

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Thursday disclosed that the nominees not confirmed were Mr. Jacob Igbekele Daodu (Ondo State) and Justice Sylvanus (Imo State).

While Daodu was rejected due to conflicting report on his suitability for the appointment, the Senate Committee stated it refused his Imo State counterpart, Justice Nsofor due to old age and shallowness in the contents of his responses to some questions he was asked during the screening.

It would be recalled that the Senate has confirmed over 40 career Ambassadorial nominees, while it rejected the first non-career ambassadors sent to it by President Buhari, mainly due to protest by some State Governors who then complained of being side lined in the nomination process.