Senate Panel Clears Fani-Kayode, Dambazau For Ambassadorial Roles

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday approved the ambassadorial nominations of former ministers Femi Fani-Kayode and Abdulrahman Dambazau.

Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, and Dambazau, a former Minister of Interior, had previously undergone full legislative screening when they were confirmed as ministers in earlier administrations.

During the session, the committee asked both nominees—along with other former ministers, ambassadors and lawmakers—to “take a bow and leave,” a long-standing Senate tradition applied to individuals with established public service credentials.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele defended the practice, stating that the privilege is reserved for nominees with verifiable records of service or prior experience in the National Assembly. He noted that such individuals are already well known to lawmakers through their past roles.

The two nominees will now await confirmation by the full Senate.

Thursday’s exercise followed President Bola Tinubu’s submission of a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for consideration on November 29.