President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees, including former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood, have arrived at the National Assembly Complex for their screening and confirmation by the Senate.
Among the nominees were former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode, former presidential spokesperson Reno Omokri, former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and former Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau.
The list includes 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career appointees, who are expected to be posted to countries where Nigeria maintains diplomatic relations and to international organisations such as the United Nations.
The high-profile figures, whose nominations have already sparked widespread debate and criticism in political circles and among the public, were spotted arriving at the legislative premises dressed in formal attire, ready to defend their credentials and suitability for the diplomatic roles that could see them deployed to various countries with which Nigeria maintains bilateral relations or to prestigious international organizations including the United Nations.
These appearances by the nominees took place on Thursday, at the National Assembly in Abuja, exactly two weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally transmitted a comprehensive list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for necessary legislative approval and confirmation on 29 November 2025, a process necessitated by constitutional requirements to ensure that only individuals deemed fit and proper are entrusted with representing Nigeria’s interests abroad.
Since the public disclosure of the nominees, the selection has attracted significant attention and generated considerable criticism from various quarters, particularly regarding the heavy presence of former political office-holders and appointees, with observers questioning whether the choices priorities merit, diplomatic expertise, and national interest over political patronage and reward for loyalty.
As the screening exercise commences, senators are expected to probe the nominees extensively on their backgrounds, qualifications, and visions for advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives, amid expectations that the process will address the lingering concerns raised by stakeholders who demand transparency and accountability in such critical appointments that shape the country’s global image and diplomatic engagements.
