By Anthony Isaac
The Senate today received a formal request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of 42 career Ambassadors-designate.
The request which was contained in a letter dated May 6, 2020, was read on the floor during plenary by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan.
The Ambassadors-designate for confirmation are: C.O Nwachukwu, Abia; A. Kafas, Adamawa; R. U. Brown, Akwa-Ibom; G. A. Odudigbo, Anambra; O. C. Onowu, Anambra; Y. S. Suleiman, Bauchi; E S. Agbana, Bayelsa; B. B. M. Okoyen Bayelsa; G. M. Okoko Benue; A. M. Garba, Borno; M. l. Bashir, Bomo; M. O. Abam, Cross River; A. E. Allotey, Cross River; G. E. Edokpa, Edo; and A. N. Madubuike, Enugu.
Others are: Adamu Lamuwa, Gombe; Mr. Innocent A. lwejuo, lmo; M. S. Abubakar, Jigawa; Y. A. Ahmed, Jigawa; S. D. Umar, Kaduna; A. Sule, Kano; G. Y. Hamza, Kano; N. Rimi, Katsina; L S. Ahmed-Remawa, Katsina; M. Manu, Kebbi; l. R. Ocheni, Kogi; l. A. Yusuf, Kogi; M. Abdulraheem, Kwara; Mrs. W. A. Adedeji, Lagos; and A. U. Ogah, Nasarawa.
Also among career Ambassadors-designate to be confirmed are: A. A. Musa, Niger; N. A. Kolo, Niger; S. O. Olaniyan, Ogun; A. R. Adejola, Ogun, E. Awe Ondo; O. Aluko, Osun; I. A. Alatishe, Osun; V. A. Adeleke, Oyo; M. S. Adamu, Plateau; l. N. Charles, Rivers; Z M. lfu, Taraba; and B. B. Hamman, Yobe.
The Senate also today received Buhari’s request for the confirmation of Professor Jumai Audi, as the Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.
A letter from the President to the Senate further requested the confirmation of Hon. Ebele Bernard Chima, Commissioner, South East; Barr. Bassey Dan Abia, Commissioner, South-South; and Hon. Mohammed Ibraheem, Commissioner, South-West.
President Buhari in the letter said: “In compliance with the provision of section 2(2) of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act No. 7 of 199, I wrote to forward to the Senate for confirmation the under-listed (4)names of nominees as Chairman and full-time members of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.”
Also, President Buhari in a separate letter requested the Senate to confirm Diana Okonta (South-South) and Ya’ana Talib Yaro (North-East) as Non-Executive Directors of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
According to President Buhari, the appointment of the nominees was done “in compliance with the provision of section 5(2)(4) of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation Act” to fill existing vacancies.
The Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, moved a motion relying on order 1(b) of the Senate standing rules for the upper chamber to expedite action on the President’s request for the confirmation of the NDIC nominees.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan in his ruling, underscored the need for the upper chamber to “fast-track the process” to enable committees to screen the nominees.
Senator Lawan, thereafter, referred the confirmation request of the NDIC nominees to the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Financial Institutions.
The Committee which was given two weeks to report back to the upper chamber is Chaired by Senator Uba Sani (APC – Kaduna Central).
