Tinubu Approves 4 Ambassador Postings, Sends Envoys to US, France, UK and Turkey

President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates from a list of 68 nominees confirmed by the Senate last December.

A statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday night said the President confirmed the appointments after the Senate’s earlier approvals.

Among the postings is Ambassador Ayodele Oke, who has been designated as Nigeria’s ambassador to France, while Colonel Lateef Are has been named ambassador to the United States.

The President also approved Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, who previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea, as high commissioner to the United Kingdom. Former Kebbi State Governor Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman has been designated ambassador to Turkey, a country Tinubu is expected to visit on a state visit next week.

Tinubu directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notify the governments of the four countries in line with diplomatic procedures.

The latest approvals follow months of delays in filling key diplomatic posts abroad. In November, Tinubu sent an initial list of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, after nearly two years of vacancies at Nigerian missions overseas. He later submitted another 32 names.

By December, the Senate had confirmed 64 nominees, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67. With Thursday’s approvals, the tally now stands at 71.

Other notable figures on the confirmed list include Reno Omokri, former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former INEC chairman; former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode; and former Oyo First Lady Fatima Florence Ajimobi.