Amidst serious protests from some Senators, the Senate Wednesday , confirmed 39 out of 41 non – career ambassadorial nominees forwarded to it by President Muhamnadu Buhari two weeks ago.
The remaining two nominees from Niger and Yobe States , were however stood down by the Upper legislative Chamber due to petitions filed against them by stakeholders from their respective states.
Confirmation was also given to the appointment of Mr Suleiman Sani from the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT, Abuja) , as a career ambassador .
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa (APC Bauchi North), had in setting the stage for the confirmations, presented report to that effect based on screening exercise carried out on the nominees for about five days.
In its report , he said out of the 41 none -career nominees , two were not considered due to petitions written against them from their respective states of Niger and Yobe states.
The two affected nominees according to him are Air Commodore Peter Ndabake Gana from Niger and Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed from Yobe State .
He accordingly requested the Senate to confirm the remaining 39 nominees for non-career ambassadorial posts and the only career one from the federal capital territory.
But Senators like Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC Taraba Central), Emmanuel Bwacha ( PDP Taraba South), Danjuma La’ah ( PDP Kaduna South) , etc, kicked against confirmation of nominees from their states for allegedly unknown to them and other stakeholders in their states.
Senator Yusuf in particular said Adamu Hassan nominated from the State is not known to him and many of the stakeholders in the state.
Opposition against the nominee, worsened with another Senator from the state, Emmanuel Bwacha, kicking against him on the ground that he hails from the same local government with the Federal Minister from the State, Sale Mamman.
Senator Danjuma La’ah from Kaduna state also kicked against confirming Professor M.A Makarfi as ambassadorial nominee from the state on the grounds that such appointments were not made from Kaduna South where he hails from.
Senator Ahmed Baba – Kaita ( APC Katsina North), however intervened by urging his colleagues to allow confirmations to be made as recommended by the committee.
“The complaints being made by some Distinguished Senators may be right but this is not the stage to do that in order not to rubbish the work of the committee on foreign affairs.
“My appeal to us all, is that having gotten to this stage , we should allow the already screened nominees to be confirmed as ambassadors – designate,” he said.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, accordingly put questions for their confirmations to the Senators which were responded to affirmatively by majority of the Senators.
The confirmed nominees as ambassadors designate are Engr Umar Suleiman (Adamawa); L.S. Mandama (Adamawa); Oboro Effiong Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Chief Elejah Onyeagba (Anambra); Abubakar D. Ibrahim Siyi (Bauchi); Philip K. Ikurusi (Bayelsa); Hon. Tarzcor Terhemen (Benue); Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue); Al-Bishir Ibrahim Al-Hussain (Borno); Brig Gen. Bwala Yusuf Bukar (Borno); Prof. Monique Ekpong (Cross River); Oma Djebah (Delta); Ominyi N. Eze, Ebonyi (Ebonyi); Yamah Mohammed Musa (Edo); Maj. Gen. C. O. Ugwu (Enugu); and Dr. Hajara I. Salim (Gombe).
Others are: Obiezu Ijeoma Chinyerem (Imo); Ali M. Magashi (Jigawa); Prof. M. A. Makarfi (Kaduna); Hamisu Umar Takalmawa (Kano); Imam Galandanci (Kano); Amina Ado Kurawa (Kano); Amb. Yahaya Lawal (Katsina); Dare Sunday Awoniyi (Kogi); Ibrahim Kayode Laaro (Kwara), Abioye Bello (Kwara); Zara Maazu Umar (Kwara); Ademola Seriki (Lagos); Henry John Omaku (Nasarawa); Chief Sarafa Tunji Ishola (Ogun); Mrs. Nimi Akinkube (Ondo); Adejaba Bello (Osun); Adeshina Alege (Oyo); Debo Adesina (Oyo); Ms. Folakemi Akinyele (Oyo); Shehu Abdullahi Yibaikwai (Plateau); Hon. Maureen Tamuno (Rivers); Faruk Yabo (Sokoto); Adamu M. Hassan (Taraba); Abubakar Mioriki (Zamfara).
