The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday continued its screening of ambassadorial nominees whose names President Bola Ahmed Tinubu transmitted to the National Assembly for confirmation.
There was a mild drama during the screening when an ambassadorial nominee from Ekiti State, Adeyemi Emmanuel, could not name all three senators representing his state.
Emmanuel, a career diplomat currently serving as Acting Director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had performed impressively until he attempted to acknowledge the senators from Ekiti.
He mentioned only the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South), but failed to name Senator Cyril Fasuyi, who represents Ekiti North.
The lapse drew wide attention immediately, raising concerns among members of the panel about the nominee’s preparedness and familiarity with political representation from his home state.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) pressed him to name the third senator from Ekiti, leaving the nominee visibly unsettled.
Ekpenyong frowned at the lapse, describing it as symptomatic of a troubling decline among public office nominees.
“Much as we admit that one man can’t know everything, it is expected that somebody like you, who has been nominated to represent the country as an ambassador, should know details like the three senators from your state.
“It is even important that the people we are presenting at a time the international perception of our country are competent enough to repair our image,” he said.
Senators Adams Oshiomhole and Seriake Dickson backed Ekpenyong’s criticism, while Senator Yunus Akintunde, who stood in for Senate Leader Bamidele, pleaded that the mistake be overlooked.
“Please, forgive him. Please, let us overlook his mistake and pardon him for not knowing that Ekiti, like other states, has three senators,” Akintunde said, though he also expressed his disappointment at the nominees’ aides to “rescue” their principal at that critical moment.
Despite the apparent blunder, Emmanuel highlighted his extensive diplomatic experience, including postings in Addis Ababa, Hong Kong, and France, where he earned a doctorate in International Relations. Adeyemi is one of President Tinubu’s three nominees from Ekiti, alongside Erelu Angela Adebayo and Olumilua Oluwayemika.
The Senate committee also screened several other career ambassadorial nominees, including Ahmed Sulu Gambari, Maimuna Besto, Monica Enebechi, Ahmed Monguno, Kingsley Onaga, Magaji Umar and Aminu Nasir.
The senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim, was screened as well.
During his appearance before the committee, chaired by former Niger State Governor Sani Bello, the Red Chamber took a special interest in one of their own.
The businessman-turned-federal lawmaker reeled out his Curriculum Vitae (CV), presenting a brief profile of himself.
In line with the Senate’s long-established tradition for former and serving lawmakers, Senator Ibrahim was asked to “take a bow,” drawing applause from his colleagues.
Last week, President Tinubu asked the Senate to confirm 65 ambassadorial nominees, based on Section 171 (1), (2) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution, and urged lawmakers to “expeditiously” clear the list.
The nominees include seasoned diplomats, including Sulu-Gambari Olatunji Ahmed (Kwara), Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), and Maimuna Ibrahim (Adamawa).
His non-career nominees include political heavyweights, like former presidential aide, Ita Enang, ex–Chief of Naval Staff Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (retd.).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio had referred the list to the Foreign Affairs Committee, giving it one week to conclude the screening and report back.
Yesterday’s exercise marked the second phase of the ambassadorial screening session.
In the first batch, Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Ayodele Oke (Oyo) had arrived earlier, with Oke using his session to respond to longstanding allegations.
