Politics
Tinubu Gives Fani Kayode, Others New Appointments (See Full List)
The President Bola Tinubu is vetting potential candidates to fill diplomatic roles in its 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 global consulates.
Impeccable sources familiar with the developments revealed that a former Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, are among the nominees.
It was also gathered that the vetting is not conducted centrally, as nominees are being asked to report to the DSS offices nearest to them.
Presidency officials confirmed to our correspondent that several candidates had been contacted to provide personal education and work history.
“They’re already doing security checks with DSS. When they have cleared security checks, we will release the list.
“Only those who have been cleared are announced. The process is ongoing. I know that we should have a list before the end of this month (April),” one official revealed, preferring to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak to the press.
A second source said, “The vetting is not done centrally. It is based on the location of the nominees. Nominees have been reached to provide personal history and information such as where they attended school, what appointments they have held, and the like. So, it is by location.”
That month, he concluded a sector-wide reassessment of Nigeria’s foreign policy, which saw over 83 career and non-career ambassadors recalled from their stations.
Last December, reliable sources close to the President confirmed that Tinubu spent part of his holiday reviewing the names of nominees with plans to transmit a consolidated list to the National Assembly before the end of the month.
However, updates in January revealed that the President changed his mind.
It was gathered that the process suffered delays due to the paucity of funds—to the tune of $1bn —required to pay arrears of foreign service officials, settle a backlog of overheads, replace ageing vehicles and renovate embassy buildings.
One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “You see, the major issue is money. Not money to pay them [ambassadors], because how much is their salaries and benefits? The main money is CAPEX [Capital Expenditure]. By the time they put the cost together to fix the issues, it is running to almost $1bn.
“Most of those embassies, almost 90 per cent, are rundown. Either the residence is not good, the embassy does not have a functional office, or their rent has expired. The embassies that are buoyant may not be up to 10 as we speak.
“I understand that some of them don’t have serviceable vehicles. The last vehicles they bought were from 10 years ago. Some of them are broken down, and ambassadors cannot use such vehicles because they carry the image of the country. Some of them don’t even have power and running water. So, if you post ambassadors there today, you’re sending them to trouble.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also attributed the delay to financial constraints.
“It is a money problem,” Tuggar said during a ministerial briefing in Abuja last May.
He argued that appointing ambassadors without the financial resources to support their travel and the effective running of missions abroad was pointless.
“We met a situation where foreign affairs was not being funded like it should be. Some loopholes are exploited by the likes of Binance. It is a money problem.
“There is no point sending out ambassadors if you do not have the funds for them to even travel to their designated countries and to run the missions effectively, one needs funding. Mr President is working on it, and it will be done in due course,” Tuggar said.
A foreign service official explained that though provisions had been made in the 2025 budget to cover some of that cost, the funds were hardly enough.
Nominees on the list
Senior Presidency and foreign service officers say although the complete list of nominees is highly classified, some prominent and controversial figures are being screened.
One official said, “They’re going to announce the appointments soon. They are being screened as we speak. The names of the nominees are highly classified for now because not every one of the names listed will eventually make it through.
“FFK [Femi Fani-Kayode] is on the list. These are some of the controversial names that have been put forward as well. Then there is Fola Adeola [founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc] and Femi Pedro too. They’re moving on with the process more quickly this time.”
Giving reasons for the slow process, another official explained that the vetting was necessary to avoid complications that might hurt the country’s standing on the global scene.
“The nominees are being vetted, and background checks are being conducted on them. It is usually done so that the nominees will not have any security issues and their deployment will not have a negative impact on the country,” the official said.
There was also a claim that Reno Omokri, a former aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was on the list.
But a credible source in the Presidency denied it.
“Reno is not on the list. But FFK is there,” the source said.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who earlier spoke about the delays, said nominations for ambassadorial roles must be thorough before a final list is transmitted to the National Assembly.
“Don’t forget that the ambassadorial list has two components. There are career ambassadors and political ambassadors. The foreign affairs list and the consolidated list will still go through certain processes before they are released,” he explained.
Two of the nominees, when contacted declined comment.
They also did not confirm or deny the report.
Plateau Peace Advocates for Good Governance and Social Stability, PPAGGSS has called on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State to resist divisive tendencies and preserve what it described as a rare moment of political unity across the state.
In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim D. Lengshak, the group warned that allowing internal cracks within the party could reverse the gains recorded in recent efforts to stabilise the state politically and socially.
According to the group, Plateau is witnessing an unprecedented level of political convergence, cutting across party lines and interests, a development it said should not be sacrificed on the altar of personal ambition or external manipulation.
PPAGGSS specifically cautioned both longstanding members of the APC and new entrants into the party to avoid actions or utterances and promotion of divisions and sharing ratios only known to those promoting the division.
The group urged party faithful to draw inspiration from leading political figures in the state, including Governor Caleb Mutfwang, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, and former governor Simon Lalong, whom it credited with setting aside political differences to foster cohesion.
“So far, these leaders have not disappointed us in their common zeal for the good of the state and the party and it behoves those who claim to support them not to break ranks.
“The unity we are beginning to see on the Plateau is not accidental. It is the product of deliberate efforts by leaders who have chosen to rise above differences for the common good,” Ishaku said.
PPAGGSS noted that the alignment among these leaders represents a strategic foundation for peace and development, stressing that their example should guide grassroots supporters and stakeholders within the party.
The group also raised concern over what it described as the activities of “divisive elements” seeking to exploit perceived differences within the APC for personal gain.
“These are individuals who neither laboured for the present stability nor contributed to the building of consensus, yet they are eager to sow discord for selfish reasons,” the statement said.
It warned that such tendencies, if unchecked, could plunge the state back into a cycle of political fragmentation that has historically undermined governance and security.
Emphasising the broader implications of unity, PVD said that a cohesive political front is essential in addressing the lingering security challenges affecting communities across Plateau.
According to the group, insecurity remains a shared concern that transcends political affiliations, making it imperative for stakeholders to close ranks rather than deepen divisions.
“Plateau cannot afford to return to an era where political differences weaken collective resolve. The threats we face today require unity, cooperation, and a shared commitment to peace,” Ishaku added.
The group, therefore, urged APC members to project a united front in both words and actions, stressing that sustaining the current atmosphere of cooperation would be critical in consolidating peace, strengthening governance, and advancing development across the state.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced a last-minute change of venue for its National Convention scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, in Abuja, following challenges in securing approval for previously proposed centres.
In an update released on Monday, the party confirmed that it was unable to gain access to both the Eagle Square and the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, which were initially considered as host venues for the high-profile political gathering.
According to the party, formal communication had been sent to the office of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, requesting approval to use Eagle Square. While the request was acknowledged, the ADC stated that it did not receive an official approval or rejection before proceeding to secure an alternative arrangement.
In a subsequent statement, the party confirmed that the convention will now take place at the Rainbow Event Center in Abuja.
The ADC explained that the new venue was selected for its central location and ease of access for delegates and stakeholders expected from across Nigeria. The party also emphasized that holding the convention in Abuja underscores the national significance of the event and is expected to support a more coordinated and inclusive gathering.
The National Convention is expected to bring together party leaders, delegates, and supporters as the ADC moves to strengthen its internal structures and prepare for upcoming political activities.
In Edo State, chieftains of ADC, Senator Roland Owie and Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, traded words over the chairmanship of the party.
Addressing journalists on Sunday in Benin City, ADC senatorial leader and member of the National Executive Council (NEC), Senator Roland Owie, alleged that Chief John Odigie-Oyegun was attempting to impose his loyalists as state party chairman despite losing the congress.
He said the chairmanship position in Edo ADC was zoned to Edo South, which was later micro-zoned to Oredo Local Government Area.
According to him, two aspirants, Dr. Mike Ehima and Tony Alile, showed interest in the position, leading to a mini-primary conducted between them.
“At the end of the exercise, Dr. Ehima polled 75 votes, while his opponent, Tony Alile, scored four votes,” he said.
Owie added that the local government congresses were generally peaceful and unanimous in several areas.
“But information reaching me indicates that Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is adopting another chairman in place of Dr. Ehima at the national headquarters in Abuja,” he alleged.
He further stated that Oyegun could not simultaneously serve as a national leader and senatorial leader of the party in the state, insisting he should choose one role.
Owie, therefore, called on the party’s NEC to caution Oyegun and restore order within the state chapter.
In his response, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun denied involvement in the congress process, saying he was not part of the officials appointed by the national headquarters to conduct the exercise.
“I am not the state congress officer appointed by the national headquarters in Abuja to oversee the congress. It is only the congress officer who can speak on that, and maybe he will speak tomorrow,” he said.
Reacting to claims by former state chairman Kelly Odion that he remained the party chairman, Oyegun said: “I don’t know where he got that from; it is between him and Abuja.”
‘FG has denied us usage of Eagle Square, National Stadium’
Ahead of its April 14 national convention, ADC alleged that it had been denied access to both Eagle Square and the Velodrome of the National Stadium in Abuja for the conduct of the event.
The allegation was made by Kola Ologbondiyan, chairman of the media subcommittee of the party’s National Convention Committee, on Sunday night.
Speaking in response to inquiries from Daily Trust on preparations for the convention, Ologbondiyan said the party had formally written to the relevant authorities requesting permission to use the venues.
“We have written to the authorities for Eagle Square; it was acknowledged. But since then, they refused to respond to us,” he said.
He added that the party also applied to use the Velodrome at the National Stadium, but was informed by the ministry that it did not have authorisation to grant approval for the facility’s use.
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