Senate Chambers

The Senate on Thursday rejected the nomination of  two non-career ambassadorial  presented for clearance by President Muhammadu Buhari over old age and corruption allegations.

The two rejected nominees – Justice Sylvanus Nsofor from Imo State and Mr Jacob Daodu from Ondo State- were rejected based on recommendations of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affair.

The Committee had carried out preliminary screening of the 47 non career ambassadorial nominees whose names were submitted by President Buhari to the Senate over two months ago.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary further revealed that a report from Department of States Services, DSS on the Ondo State nominee indicated that he is deceitful and had been involved in corrupt practices as Chairman of a road construction project.

Senator Akpabio who commended the Committee on Foreign Affairs for the way it screened the nominees as contained in the report presented at the plenary however urged them to take a second look at the medical report of some of the nominees for non-careers Ambassadors.

When the other rejected nominee was asked if he could perform his duty at his old age, his response was “Ask Mugabe if age affects his job.”

The Senate therefore resolved to screen 45 out of the 47 Non-Career Ambassadorial Nominees with the rejection of the nominations from Imo and Ondo States.