Buhari Authorizes Deployment of Ambassador
President Muhammadu Buhari has authorized the deployment and posting of ambassadors of the federal republic of Nigeria.
About 11 ambassadors were re-appointed, eight retained in their current countries of posting while three others redeployed.
Demola Seriki, the former Minister of State for Defence, will serve as the Nigerian Ambassador to Spain and Sarafat Ishola, a former Minister of Mines and Steel, to perform as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Dr. Uzoma Emenike, the incumbent Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland, was posted to serve as ambassador in the United States, with M.I. Bashir serving as deputy ambassador.
Following the confirmed list from the Senate, the President posted 52 non-career ambassadors and 43 career ambassadors.
The list revealed that the following ambassadors would retain their service areas. Mohammed Rimi (United Arab Emirates), Jidda Baba (China), Gani Bura (Lebanon), Yusuf Tuggar (Germany), Baba Madugu (Switzerland) and Deborah Illiya (Congo), Tijani Muhammad-Bande (Permanent Representative to the United Nations), and Adeyinka Asekun (High Commissioner to Canada).
Other postings include M.O. Abam (Italy), N.A. Kolo (Israel), A. Sule (India), G.Y. Hamza (Ghana), A.N. Madubike (Australia), and O.C Onowu (Belgium).
Those redeployed include Modupe Irele, leaving France for Hungary, and Eniola Ajayi, leaving Hungary to serve in the Netherlands.
For non-career diplomats, Ms. Ijeoma Chineyerem will resume as the Ambassador to Ireland, Oma Djebah( Thailand), Abdulahi Shehu (Russia), Haruna Manta (South Africa), Kayode Laro (France), Paul Adikwu (The Vatican), Abubakar Moriki (Japan), Mrs. Opunimi Akinkugbe (Greece) and Ali Magashi (South Korea)
The remaining appointees will be expected to serve as deputy ambassadors or heads of mission. They include A.E. Alleboy (Deputy Ambassador to France), G.E. Edokpa (Deputy Permanent Representative to The U.N.), Ben Okoyen (Cuba), G.M. Okeke (Deputy Head of Mission to Switzerland), S.Sani to London, (Deputy High Commissioner to the U.K.), I. A Iwejuo (Ethiopia as Deputy Ambassador), I.A. Alatishe (Deputy Ambassador to Russia), and I.R. Ocheni (Germany).
It would be recalled that the last ambassadorial nominees waited several months before their posting, but the President had approved this posting last week.