Senate confirms 45 non-career ambassador-nominees
By Taiye Odewale Abuja Ahead of the 2019 general elections, President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded to the Senate for confi rmation, appointments of 27 resident electoral commissioners out of the 36 states of the federation.
Th is was as the Senate yesterday confi rmed the nomination of 45 out of 47 nominees for non career ambassadorial positions forwarded to it by President Buhari in January, this year.
Buhari’s request on the 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners was read on the fl oor of the Senate yesterday by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, via a letter dated February 27, 2017 but received by the Senate Tuesday, this week.
Th e President, in the letter written on his behalf by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in his capacity as Acting President, said the appointments was in compliance with provisions of Section 14 (3) (a) of the third schedule to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
The nominees are Prof. Godswill Obioma (Abia state), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa), Alhaji Ahmad Makama (Bauchi), James Apam (Benue), Barrister Mike Igini (Delta), Dr Nkwachukwu Orji (Ebonyi) and Dr. Iloh Joseph Chucks (Enugu). Others are Hussani Halilu Pai (FCT), Sadiq Abubakar Musa (Kaduna), Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano), Dr. (Mrs.) Asmau Maikudi (Katsina ), Dr Mahmuda Isah (Kebbi), Prof. Samuel Egwu (Kogi), Amb Rufus Akeju (Lagos), Prof. Mustapha Zubairu (Niger), Agboke Mutiu Olaleke (Ogun) and Samuel Olugbadebo Olemekun (Ondo). Also in the list are Abdulganiyu Raji (Oyo), Prof. Riskuwa Shehu (Sokoto), Barrister Kasim Geidam (Yobe), Ahmad Mahmud (Zamfara), Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda (Plateau), Umaru Ibrahim (Taraba), Emeka Joseph (Imo), Obo Eff anga (Cross River), Francis Ezeonu (Anambra) and Dr. Briyai Frankland (Bayelsa).
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday rejected two out of the 47 nominees forwarded to it for confi rmation as non career ambassadors by President Muhammadu Buhari two months ago but confi rmed the nomination of the 45 others. Th e two nominees rejected by the Senate are 82-year-old man, Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, from Imo state and Jacob Igbekele Daodu from Ondo state based on reports of its committee on Foreign Aff airs.
According to the report, the 82-year-old looked frail and tired and his responses to the issues raised were either not answered or devoid of details and mostly satirical. Similarly, the committee in its report on the Ondo nominee, Jacob Igbekele Daodu, said he didn’t in any way respond to issues raised at the screening with satisfactory answers besides negative security report against him by the DSS.
The 45 non-career ambassadors-designate across the states are Mrs. Uzoma. E. Emenike (Abia), Aminu Iyawa (Adamawa), Maj.-Gen. Godwin. G. Umor (retd) (Akwa Ibom), Christopher J. N. Okere (Anambra), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Baba Madugu (Bauchi), Brig.- Gen. Stanley Diriyai (Bayelsa), Prof. Steven Ugba (Benue), Baba Jidda (Borno), Etubom Asuquo (Cross River), Mr. Frank Efeduma (Delta), Jonah Odo (Ebonyi), Uyagwe Igbe (Edo) Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti), Maj.-Gen. Chris Eze (Enugu), Suleiman Hassan (Gombe), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa), Ahmed Bamali (Kaduna), Deborah Iliya (Kaduna) and Prof. Dandatti Abdulkadir (Kano). Others are: Haruna Ungogo (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo (Katsina), Mohammadu Barade (Katsina), Prof. Tijjani Bande (Kebbi), Prof. Y. O. Aliu (Kogi) Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara), Prof. Mohammed Yisa (Kwara), Justice George Oguntade (Lagos), Modupe Irele (Lagos), Musa Muhammad (Nasarawa), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Suzanne Folarin (Ogun), Afolahan Adeyemi (Osun), Maj.-Gen. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (retd) (Oyo), James Dimka (Plateau), Haruna Abdullahi (Plateau), Orji Ngofa (Rivers), Sahabi Gada (Sokoto), Kabiru Umar (Sokoto), Hassan Ardo (Taraba), Goni Bura (Yobe), Garba Gajam (Zamfara), Bala Mairiga (Zamfara) and Ibrahim Ugbada (FCT) were confi rmed.
In his remarks, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said the ambassadors designate should be of good behaviour in any country they might fi nd themselves. Saraki also called on the federal government to pay up all outstanding salaries being owed the missions to enable them perform optimally.
