The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday completed screening of 23 non-career ambassadorial nominees out of 46.
However, when the committee of foreign affairs began screening the nominees, there was interruption of power, which forced the committee to resort to using rechargeable lamps until power was restored.
Speaking earlier, Monsurat Sunmonu, chairperson of the committee, advised the nominees to bear in mind the “dynamics of foreign policy and relations between nation-states that requires timely action on all matters affecting the well-being of Nigerians in all countries of the world”.
“The committee expects that your performance during the screening would be commensurate to the task of the assignment you are nominated for,” she said.
“I assure you of the committee’s determination in the conduct of this assignment to be just and fair to all nominees, without compromising the strict selection process of qualified individuals among you that will represent Nigeria abroad.
“I also wish to use this opportunity to bring to your notice, reported cases of the in accessibility and preferential treatments of our citizens by some Nigerian envoys. And to strongly caution you to desist from such behaviour, if eventually confirmed.”
Those screened were Goni Modu Zanna Bura (Yobe), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Kabiru Umar (Sokoto) and Baba Madugu (Bauchi).
Others were Baba Ahmad Jidda (Borno), Justice George Adesola Oguntade (Lagos), Garba Gajam (Zamfara), Bala Mohammed Mairiga (Zamfara), Christopher Okere (Anambra), Etuborn Asuquo (Cross River) and Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara).
Also screened were Amin Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa), Ahmed Nuhu Bamali (Kaduna), Prof. Dandatti Abdulkadir (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo (Katsina), Prof. Mohammed Yisa (Kwara), Mrs Modupe Irele (Lagos) and Suzanne Folarin (Ogun).
Gen. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (Oyo), Oriji Ngofa (Rivers), Jonah Odo (Ebonyi) and Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti) also made the list. The Chairperson of the committee, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, commended members for a job well done. She said though the screening started late, the committee was able to screen 23 as against 14 nominees it intended to.
The chairperson said “the committee would screen the remaining nominees on Wednesday.”
President Muhammadu Buhari resubmitted a list of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees to the senate on January 12 for confirmation
