Buhari asks Senate to confirm 46 ambassadorial-nominees

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday sent the names of 46 non-career ambassadorial-nominees to the Senate for confirmation and approval.

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, read the President’s letter to the chamber during  plenary.

Some notable nominees are a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice George Oguntade; a former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Paulen Tallen; a former member of the House of Representatives, Usman Bugaje; and a former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Ibeto.

Others are Dr. Uzoma Ememke (Abia State); Dr. Clifford Zirra (Adamawa); Maj. Gen. Godwin Umo (retd.)  (Akwa Ibom); Christopher Okeke (Anambra); Yusuf  Tugar (Bauchi); Baba Madugu (Bauchi); Brig. Gen. Stanley Diriyai (retd.) (Bayelsa); Dr. Enyantu Ifenne (Benue); Mohammed Hayatuddeen (Borno); and Dr. Etubom Asuquo (Cross River).

Also on the list are Francis Efeduma (Delta);  Jonah Odo (Ebonyi); Uyagwe Igbe (Edo); Ayodele Ayodeji (Ekiti); Maj. Gen. Chris Eze (retd.) (Enugu); Suleiman Hassan (Gombe); Amin Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa); Muhammad Yaro (Kaduna); Deborah  Iliya (Kaduna);  Prof. D.

Abdulkadir (Kano);  Haruna Ungogo (Kano); Justice lsa Dodo (Katsina); Dr. Usman Bugaje (Katsina); Prof. Tijjani Bande (Kebbi); Prof. Y. O. Aliu (Kogi); and Nuruddeen Mohammed (Kwara).

Others are Prof. Mohammed Yisa (Kwara);  Senator Olorunimbe Mamora (Lagos); Modupe Irele (Lagos); Musa Ilu Muhammad (Nasarawa);  Ade Asekun (Ogun); Sola Iji (Ondo); Adegboyega Ogunwusi (Osun); Maj. Gen. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (retd.) (Oyo); and Dr. Haruna Bawa Abdullahi (Plateau).

Orji Ngofa (Rivers); Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor (Rivers); Jamila Ahmadu-Suka (Sokoto); Kabiru Umar (Sokoto); Mustapha Jaji (Taraba); Goni Modu Zanna Bura (Yobe); Garba Gajam (Zamfara); and Capt. Abdul|ahi Uba Garbasi (retd.) (Zamfara), were also nominated.

Imo State and the Federal Capital Territory, whose representatives are among the 47 career ambassadorial nominees earlier sent to the Senate, however, did not get any nominees in the non-career batch.

The lawmaker representing the FCT, Senator Phillip Aduda, in his point of order, protested against the exclusion, noting that the law recognised Abuja, the country’s capital, as a state when it concerns appointments.

He moved a motion that the Senate should communicate the omission to the President, which the lawmakers unanimously approved.

Buhari had on June 9 sent to the Senate 47 names of career diplomats.

Then, the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Shehu Sani, said his committee received “specific complaints” on the nomination affecting some states.

He added that the nominees from Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ondo, Plateau and other states not featured on the list did not meet the conditions approved for selection.

Sani added that the committee also found out that “the executive is working on the list of non-career ambassadorial nominees, which will make up for the states that were not represented in the current list.”

The career nominees, who were screened by the committee in July, have not been confirmed by the Senate.

Copyright PUNCH.