Senate Confirms Debo Adesina, Akinkugbe as Ambassadors, Suspends Screening of 2 Nominees

Malik Yahya/

Former Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian newspaper, Mr Debo Adesina was among 40 nominees confirmed as ambassadors-designate by the senate today.

In a letter which included the names of 41 persons nominated as non-career ambassadors, and read on the floor of the Senate on July 1, President Muhammadu Buhari had requested the confirmation of the nominees.

The Senate also confirmed Nimi Akinkugbe, an ambassadorial nominee for Ondo State.

Akinkugbe’s nomination had elicited debate because she is from Rivers State.

Some persons had argued that the President should not have nominated her because of her state of origin — Nimi, who is currently a non-executive director at Standard Chartered Bank, is married to Yinka Akinkugbe from Ondo.

The nominees were confirmed on Wednesday after Adamu Bulkachuwa, chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, presented a report for consideration.

The committee suspended the screening of two nominees — Yusuf Mohammed (Yobe) because of a “mix-up”, and that of Peter Gana (Niger) as a result of “problems with his nomination” — pending when the issues surrounding their nominations are resolved.

Suleiman Sani from the Federal Capital Territory was the only career ambassador confirmed by the upper legislative chamber.

“We held physical and virtual sessions for those abroad. The committee assessed the nominees based on constitutional requirements and senate standing rules,” he said. “The committee sought Department of State Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) reports on them. They gave good conduct of themselves.”

The candidates were confirmed after the senators voted on their nominations.

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