BREAKING: Omokri, Fani-Kayode Await Posting As Tinubu Deploys U.S., UK, France, Turkey Ambassadors

President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassadors-designate of the 64 previously confirmed by the Senate in December.

In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, Tinubu confirmed the deployment of Ambassador Ayodele Oke to France and Colonel Lateef Are to the United States of America.

Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, a former envoy to South Korea, will serve as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, while Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, former governor of Kebbi State, was posted to Turkey.

The Turkish posting comes ahead of President Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to the country next week.

The president directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notify the governments of the four countries about the appointees in accordance with diplomatic procedures.

The Senate had confirmed 34 career ambassadors and 30 non-career appointments.

Among the non-career nominees still awaiting posting are former presidential aide Reno Omokri, ex-Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and former INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu.

Others include former governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, former Interior Minister Abdulrahman Dambazau, and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim.

Chioma Ohakim, wife of former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim; Angela Adebayo, wife of former Ekiti State Governor; and Florence Ajimobi, widow of former Oyo State Governor, are also among.

The nominations of Omokri, Fani-Kayode and Yakubu had generated controversy among Nigerians.

The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, amongst others, had described the list of nominees as “shocking”.

“Yes, some of the names being paraded to represent us as ambassadors globally are shocking. But with a leadership that has allowed mediocrity, corruption, and impunity to rise to the top, who else did you expect them to choose?” he asked.

“When families cannot afford their next meal, those in power are welcoming defectors and exchanging gifts as though Nigeria is not burning. This is not governance. This is not leadership. And this is certainly not the Nigeria we deserve,” Obi said.

A former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joe Keshi, also faulted the ambassadorial list.

Keshi questioned the character of some of the nominees, who he claimed should have no business being in the diplomatic service “by any standard”.

“You have people who, if justice had prevailed and if this country had been run properly, and the rules and the rules of the game are obeyed, actually should be cooling their heels in the walls of the prison and not being sent out as ambassadors.

“You have people who have governed their states. They were absolute failures. They showed no leadership when they led their states, and the governors who took over from them are struggling to repair the damage they’ve done to their states.

“Those are the kind of people being rewarded, either because they have helped you to destroy other political parties, and the rest of it,” he said.