President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates out of the 68 nominees confirmed by the Senate in December last year.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday night by the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, President Tinubu confirmed the posting of Ambassador Ayodele Oke as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to France, while Colonel Lateef Are was approved as ambassador-designate to the United States of America.
Also approved is Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu, a former Nigerian envoy to South Korea, who has been appointed as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.
In addition, Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, a former governor of Kebbi State, was confirmed as ambassador-designate to Turkey. The statement noted that the approval comes ahead of President Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to Turkey next week.
President Tinubu, in a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directed the ministry to formally notify the governments of the four host countries of the ambassadorial postings in line with established diplomatic procedures.
Recall that in November 2025, the President forwarded an initial list of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, nearly two years after Nigeria’s foreign missions were left without substantive heads. He later submitted an additional list of 32 nominees.
In December, the Senate confirmed 64 nominees, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassador-designates to 67.
Other notable names on the list include Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation; and Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former First Lady of Oyo State, among others.
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