Senate Confirms 82-Year Old Earlier Rejected As Ambassador Despite SSS Report

In what could be perhaps the oldest envoy in the world just happened as the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday has confirmed 82 year old Justice Sylvanus Nsofor as ambassador.

His confirmation is coming on the heels of An unfavorable security report by the State Security Service (SSS) against his confirmation which cited his advanced age as reason.

It would be recalled that the Senate had relied on reports by the SSS to deny the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) earlier in the year.

At the Wednesday’s plenary, Joseph Igi and Yusuf Hinna, were also confirmed as ambassadors-designate.

The confirmation followed the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on the outcome of the screening exercise conducted on the three nominees. The report was presented by chairman of the committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu.

Justice Sylvanus Nsofor is from Imo state, Joseph Iji from Ondo state and Yusuf Hinna from Gombe state.

The Senate had in March this year rejected Nsofor following the recommendations of its committee because he looked frail and tired during the screening and that his responses to the issues raised during screening were either not answered or devoid of details.

During his rejection, Senator Monsurat while reading the committee’s recommendation then said “during the screening exercise the nominee’s answers did not have direct bearing to the issues raised and the answers were not satisfactory to the committee’s expectation. Besides, there is an adverse report on the nominee’s suitability for appointment as ambassador”.

However, at Wednesday’s confirmation exercise, Senator Monsurat said the nominee had improved as he answered questions appropriately as posed by members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

She also said a report by the State Security Service against the nominee could not be sustained because it did not bother on criminal records but was a mere advisory based on Justice Nsofor’s old age.

Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, retired as a Justice of the Court of Appeal in March 2005, after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 70.