President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted a fresh batch of 65 non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, urging swift confirmation to fill key diplomatic posts.

The list includes former Rivers State sole administrator Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, ex-Chief of Army Staff Abdulrahman Dambazau, former senator Ita Enang, and ex-Imo First Lady Chioma Ohakim.

The names were read on the Senate floor by President Godswill Akpabio, raising the total nominees before the upper chamber to 68. Earlier submissions had already sparked debate, featuring controversial figures such as blogger Reno Omokri and former INEC Chairman Mahmud Yakubu. Akpabio referred the new nominees to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing it to screen and report back within seven days.

In his letter to the Senate, Tinubu emphasized the urgency of the appointments amid global challenges, stressing that the nominees’ expertise would strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy. Ibas, a retired Vice Admiral and former Chief of Naval Staff who was sworn in as Rivers interim administrator in March 2025, brings a strong military background.

Dambazau, who served as interior minister under Muhammadu Buhari, offers security and legal experience. Enang previously worked as Tinubu’s special adviser on Niger Delta affairs, while Ohakim adds political experience from her tenure as Imo’s First Lady.

The nominations have drawn mixed reactions. Supporters within the All Progressives Congress (APC) praised the selections as merit-based and a reward for loyalists, with one party chieftain describing them as “tested hands to project Nigeria abroad.” Critics, particularly from the opposition, dismissed the appointments as patronage. 

Other notable names on the list include Florence Ajimobi, widow of late Oyo Governor Abiola Ajimobi, and Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff. This latest tranche follows Senate clearance of three prior nominees last week, part of a broader diplomatic reshuffle.

As Nigeria navigates economic diplomacy and regional tensions, the appointments are expected to bolster representation in more than 100 missions worldwide, reflecting Tinubu’s push to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy at a critical moment.