Senate rejects 2 ambassadorial nominees

The Senate yesterday rejected two out of the 47 non-career ambassadorial nominees sent for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Those rejected are 82-year old Justice Sylvanus Nsofor from Imo State and 59-year old Daodu Igbekele Jacob from Ondo State. The Senate, however, confirmed 45 nominees.

Adopting the report of its committee on foreign affairs, chaired by Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (APC, Oyo) the Senate said the two rejected nominees failed in some areas.

On the 82-year old Nsofor, the report said: “The nominee has served mostly in the academia and the legal profession, both here in Nigeria and abroad. Although he was calm at the screening, he looked frail and tired. His responses to the issues raised were either not answered or devoid of details and mostly satirical.

“The committee hereby rejects the nomination of Hon Justice S.A. Nsofor to the Senate for confirmation.”

On the second rejected nominee, the report said: “Although the nominee has acquired experience from his previous work places, his responses during the screening exercise did not have direct bearing to the issues raised and were not satisfactory to the committee’s expectation. Besides, there is an adverse report on the nominee’s suitability for appointment as ambassador.”

The committee therefore recommended for his rejection, which the Senate adopted.

Those confirmed are Mrs Uzoma Emenike (Abia), Aminu Iyawa (Adamawa), Godwin Umohl (Akwa Ibom), Christopher Okeke (Anambra), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Baba Madugu (Bauchi), General Stanley Diriyai (Bayelsa) Stephen Ugba (Benue) Baba Ahmed Jidda (Borno) Etubom Asuquo (Cross River), Frank Efduma (Delta) Jonah Odo (Ebonyi), Uyagwe Igbe (Edo), Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti), Chris Eze (Enugu), Suleiman Hassan (Gombe), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Ahmed Bamali (Kaduna).

Other are Deborah Iliya (Kaduna), Dandatti Abdulkadir (Kano), Haruna Ungogo (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo (Katsina), Mohammedu Rimi Barade (Katsina), Tijjani Bande (Kebbi), Y. O. Aliu (Kogi), Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara), Professor Mohammed G. Yisa (Kwara), Justice George Adesola Oguntade (Lagos), Modupe Irele (Lagos), Musa Ilu Mohammad (Nasarawa), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Suzanne Aderonke Folarin (Ogun), Afolahan Adeyemi (Osun), General Ashimiyu Olaniyi (Oyo), James G. Dimka (Plateau), Haruna Bawa Abdullahi (Plateau), Orji Ngofa (Rivers), Sahibi Isa Gada (Sokoto),Kabiru Umar (Sokoto) Hassan Jika Ado (Taraba), Goni Zanna Bura (Yobe), Garba Gajam (Zamfara) Bala Mohammed Mairiga (Zamfara) and Ibrahim Habiss Ugbada (FCT).

After the confirmation, Senate President, Bukola Saraki urged the non-career ambassadors to be good representatives of the country.