President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded a massive list of 65 nominees for Ambassadorial positions to the Senate for immediate screening and confirmation, bringing the total number of individuals designated for diplomatic postings to 68.
The list, read on the floor of the Senate today, Thursday, December 4, 2025, includes high-profile former military chiefs, ex-governors, former ministers, and politicians, signalling the President’s intent to staff key diplomatic missions with political heavyweights and security experts.
The most recent batch of nominees includes 34 Career Ambassadors and 31 Non-Career Ambassadors, with the latter category featuring several controversial and prominent political figures:3
| Nominee | State | Former Role / Status | Category |
| Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) | Cross River | Former Chief of Naval Staff, immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State | Non-Career |
| Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.) | Kano | Former Chief of Army Staff, former Minister of Interior | Non-Career |
| Senator Ita Enang | Akwa Ibom | Former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs | Non-Career |
| Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi | Enugu | Former Governor of Enugu State | Non-Career |
| Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu | Abia | Former Governor of Abia State | Non-Career |
| Mahmood Yakubu | Bauchi | Immediate Past Chairman of INEC | Non-Career |
| Reno Omokri | Delta | Former Special Assistant to the President (Goodluck Jonathan) | Non-Career |
| Chief Femi Fani-Kayode | Osun | Former Minister of Aviation | Non-Career |
| Chioma Ohakim | Imo | Former First Lady of Imo State | Non-Career |
| Senator Jimoh Ibrahim | Ondo | Businessman and former Senator | Non-Career |
| Fatima Florence Ajimobi | Oyo | Former First Lady of Oyo State | Non-Career |
Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and directed the committee to complete its screening exercise and report back to the plenary within one week.
In his accompanying letter, President Tinubu urged the lawmakers to grant the nominees “accelerated consideration” to enable the Federal Government to fill critical diplomatic vacancies in strategic countries and international organizations.
The list comprises a blend of trained Foreign Service officers (Career Ambassadors) and political appointees (Non-Career Ambassadors).6 The high number of political figures has already drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who accuse the President of rewarding political allies rather than prioritizing diplomatic experience.
FULL LIST: Career Ambassadors (Selected)
The following are selected names from the 34 Career Ambassadors nominated:
- Abia: Ambassador Mwaobiola Ezeuwo Chukwuemeka
- Adamawa: Maimuna Ibrahim
- Borno: Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno
- Kwara: Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari
- Lagos: Ambassador Rahmat Omobolanle Mohammed
- Ogun: Adjola Ibrahim Mopolola
- Oyo: Ambassador Ariwani Adedokun Esther
Notably, the Senate screening, set to commence next week, maybe contentious, particularly for the high-profile non-career nominees.
