The Senate on Thursday continued its screening of President Bola Tinubu’s 65 ambassadorial nominees, with former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, drawing attention as he appeared before the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Fani-Kayode, one of the prominent faces of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, told The PUNCH shortly after his session that he has no clue as to which country the President intends to assign him to, but is prepared for any posting.
The former minister, who served alongside Festus Keyamo, Dele Alake and Idris Mohammed as campaign spokesmen in the build-up to the 2023 general elections, emerged from Senate Room 301 at about 2.15pm wearing a green babanriga and a gold chain, beaming as though assured of a favourable outcome.
While describing the process as transparent, he confirmed that—like all nominees—he has not yet been informed of his designated mission.
Oh, the screening went well. We are not under any form of pressure. The exercise was conducted in a relaxed atmosphere,” he said.
When asked whether he had any preference on where he wished to be deployed, the former minister simply smiled.
“I really don’t know. It is up to Mr President to decide that,” he stated.
Fani-Kayode is among the non-career ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the Senate by President Tinubu for vetting and confirmation.
Others on the list include former presidential aide and ex-senator Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom); former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) of Cross River; and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (retd.) from Kano, among several other high-profile appointees whose postings remain undisclosed pending presidential approval.
Credit Adebayo folorunsho
