President Muhammadu Buhari has designated 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees for screening and confirmation by the Senate.
This brings to 93 the names of nominees for foreign postings, following the screening of 47 career diplomats forwarded earlier by the President by the Red Chamber.
Senate President Bukola Saraki read the list to his colleagues at plenary yesterday.
In the memo containing the list, President Buhari requested for expeditious consideration and confirmation.
Immediately after the list was read, Senator Philip Aduda (FCT) raised a Point of Order.
Aduda expressed disappointment that there was no nominee from the FCT in line with constitutional provision that the FCT should be treated like a state.
He requested the Senate to use its offices to ensure that citizens of FCT benefited from the ambassadorial posting like other states.
Saraki assured Aduda that the issue would be taken up by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The nominees are: Mrs Uzoma E. Ememke (Abia), Dr. Clifford Zirra (Adamawa), Maj.-Gen. Godwin G. Umo (Akwa Ibom), Christopher J. N. Okeke (Anambra), Yusuf Tuggar (Bauchi) and Baba Madugu (Bauchi), Brig.-Gen. Stanley Diriyai (Bayelsa), Dr. Enyantu Ifenne (Benue),Mohammed Hayatuddeen (Borno) and Dr. Etubom N.E. Asuquo (Cross River).
Others are: Francis Efeduma (Delta), Mr. Jonah M. Odo (Ebonyi), Uyagwe Igbe (Edo), Ayodele L. Ayodeji (Ekiti), Maj. Gen. Chris Eze (Enugu), Alhaji Suleiman Hassan (Gombe), JiAmin Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa), Muhammad Yaro (Kaduna), Deborah S. Iliya (Kaduna), Prof. D. Abduikadir (Kano), Alhaji Haruna Ungogo (Kano), Justice lsa Dodo (Katsina), Dr. Usman Bugaje (Katsina), Prof Tijjani Bande (Kebbi) and Prof Y. O. Aliu (Kogi).
Also nominated are: Nuruddeen Mohamed (Kwara), Prof. Mohamed G. Yisa (Kwara), Justice George Adesola Oguntade (Lagos), Senator Olorunimbe Mamora (Lagos), Mrs Modupe Irele (Lagos), Musa Ilu Muhammad (Nasarawa), Mohammad Ibeto (Niger), Mr. Ade Asekun (Ogun), Mr. Sola Iji (Ondo), Adegboyega A. Ogunwusi (Osun), Maj.-Gen. Ashimiyu A. Olaniyi (Oyo), PauIine Tallen (Plateau), Dr. Haruna Bawa Abduuahi (Plateau), Orji Ngofa (Rivers) and Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor (Imo).
On the list are: Jamila Ahmadu-Suka (Sokoto), Kabiru Umar (Sokoto), Alhaji Mustapha Jaji (Taraba), Goni Modu Zanna Bura (Yobe), Alhaji Garba Gajam (Zamfara) and Captain Abdullahi Uba Garbasi (Zamfara).
The Senate committee on Foreign Affairs is likely to begin the screening of the nominees next week.