President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates from the 68 nominees confirmed by the Senate last December.
A statement by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday night confirmed that Ambassador Ayodele Oke has been designated as Nigeria’s ambassador to France, while Colonel Lateef Are is set to serve as ambassador to the United States of America.
The President also approved the posting of Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, as high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom, and Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, former governor of Kebbi State, as ambassador-designate to Turkey, where President Tinubu is scheduled to begin a state visit next week.
In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu instructed the ministry to formally notify the governments of the four countries in line with diplomatic protocols.
This follows Tinubu’s previous submissions of ambassadorial nominees. In November last year, he sent an initial list to the Senate after almost two years of vacancies in Nigeria’s missions abroad. A subsequent submission added 32 more names, and in December, 64 nominees were confirmed, bringing the total confirmed to 67.
Other notable confirmed nominees include Reno Omokri, former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former INEC chairman; Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister; and Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Oyo first lady, among others.
Elijah Adeyemi
