Dare Babalola
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday gave the green light to the ambassadorial appointments of former ministers Femi Fani-Kayode and Abdulrahman Dambazau.
Both Fani-Kayode and Dambazau, former Ministers of Aviation and Interior respectively, had previously undergone rigorous Senate scrutiny during their earlier ministerial confirmations, potentially streamlining their current ambassadorial reviews.
After brief introductions, former ministers, ambassadors and lawmakers were asked to “take a bow and leave,” in line with Senate tradition and citing their earlier clearance by the Senate and their extensive public service experience.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele defended the continued use of the “take a bow and go” procedure for certain nominees, saying it is reserved for individuals with established and verifiable records of public service.
Bamidele explained that anyone who has previously served in the National Assembly automatically qualifies for the privilege.
He noted that their legislative history and public profile are already well known to lawmakers.
Their confirmation now awaits ratification by the full Senate.
Recall that the screening session followed President Bola Tinubu’s submission of a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation on November 29.
