President Bola Tinubu has formally resubmitted the name of former Kebbi State Governor, Usman Dakingari, to the Senate as an ambassadorial nominee, reopening a process that was earlier marked by confusion and abrupt reversal.
Tinubu’s letter, read on the floor of the Senate during plenary, requested legislative confirmation of Dakingari’s nomination in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. The letter was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who subsequently referred the nomination to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening and further legislative action.
The fresh submission follows an earlier announcement by the Presidency in January in which Dakingari was named among new ambassadorial appointees and reportedly linked to a diplomatic posting to Turkey. However, the announcement was swiftly withdrawn hours later, with the State House clarifying that no ambassador had yet been assigned to Turkey and attributing the episode to a review process and administrative mix-up. Dakingari’s name was also absent from the list of ambassadorial nominees screened and confirmed by the Senate in December 2025, further fuelling speculation and public debate.
With the resubmission, the Presidency appears to have formally reset the process, effectively restoring Dakingari to the list of ambassadorial nominees requiring Senate confirmation. Although the nomination letter reportedly described the appointment as a “career” ambassadorship, lawmakers noted that Dakingari’s political background as a former governor places him in the category of a non-career or political ambassador, a factor expected to shape his screening.
Usman Dakingari served as Governor of Kebbi State from 2007 to 2015 and remains a notable political figure in the state. His nomination is widely seen as part of Tinubu’s broader diplomatic reshuffle aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s foreign representation after prolonged delays in ambassadorial postings.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs is expected to invite Dakingari for screening and submit its report to the full chamber in the coming days, after which the Senate will decide whether to confirm or reject the nomination.
Abuja Network News
