President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced the nomination of two non-career ambassadors-designate earlier forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
In a letter read on Wednesday during plenary by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Buhari asked the Senate to recall his earlier submission of Mr. Oboro Effiong Akpabio and Brigadier General Bwala Yusuf Bukar from Akwa-Ibom and Borno State respectively.
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He substituted Akpabio with Mr. John J. Usanga (Akwa-Ibom State) and Bukar (Borno State) with Air Commodore Peter Anda Bakiya Gana (Niger State).
The letter reads: “In accordance to Section 171(1)(2)(c) and subsection (4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Mr. John J. Usanga and Air Commodore Peter Anda Bakiya Gana (rtd) from Akwa-Ibom and Niger State respectively, as non-career Ambassadors-designate.”
But coming under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules, the lawmaker representing FCT in the Senate, Senator Philip Aduda, protested the exclusion of a non-career ambassador from the FCT.
According to him, the only FCT indigene currently serving as a non-career Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Hafiz Obada, was not re-appointed.
Lawan described Aduda’s complaint as valid, saying it is constitutional for an indigene of the FCT to be appointed as a non-career ambassador.
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