News
Ambassadors: FG Screens Femi Fani-Kayode, Others, Reno Omokri Copiously Missing

The Federal Government is vetting potential candidates to fill diplomatic roles in its 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 global consulates, The PUNCH reports.
Impeccable sources familiar with the developments revealed that a former Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, are among the nominees.
It was gathered that the vetting is not conducted centrally, as nominees are being asked to report to the DSS offices nearest to them.
Presidency officials confirmed to our correspondent that several candidates had been contacted to provide personal education and work history.
“They’re already doing security checks with DSS. When they have cleared security checks, we will release the list.
“Only those who have been cleared are announced. The process is ongoing. I know that we should have a list before the end of this month (April),” one official revealed, preferring to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak to the press.
READ ALSO: Don’t Kill Democracy In Nigeria, Dele Momodu Tells Tinubu
A second source said, “The vetting is not done centrally. It is based on the location of the nominees. Nominees have been reached to provide personal history and information such as where they attended school, what appointments they have held, and the like. So, it is by location.”
Tinubu’s 4Ds and funding issues
Since September 2023, President Bola Tinubu has operated his 4Ds—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—foreign policy without ambassadors.
That month, he concluded a sector-wide reassessment of Nigeria’s foreign policy, which saw over 83 career and non-career ambassadors recalled from their stations.
Last December, reliable sources close to the President confirmed that Tinubu spent part of his holiday reviewing the names of nominees with plans to transmit a consolidated list to the National Assembly before the end of the month.
However, updates in January revealed that the President changed his mind.
It was gathered that the process suffered delays due to the paucity of funds—to the tune of $1bn —required to pay arrears of foreign service officials, settle a backlog of overheads, replace ageing vehicles and renovate embassy buildings.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Tinubu Extends Immigration Boss, Nandap’s Tenure
One official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “You see, the major issue is money. Not money to pay them [ambassadors], because how much is their salaries and benefits? The main money is CAPEX [Capital Expenditure]. By the time they put the cost together to fix the issues, it is running to almost $1bn.
“Most of those embassies, almost 90 per cent, are rundown. Either the residence is not good, the embassy does not have a functional office, or their rent has expired. The embassies that are buoyant may not be up to 10 as we speak.
“I understand that some of them don’t have serviceable vehicles. The last vehicles they bought were from 10 years ago. Some of them are broken down, and ambassadors cannot use such vehicles because they carry the image of the country. Some of them don’t even have power and running water. So, if you post ambassadors there today, you’re sending them to trouble.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also attributed the delay to financial constraints.
“It is a money problem,” Tuggar said during a ministerial briefing in Abuja last May.
He argued that appointing ambassadors without the financial resources to support their travel and the effective running of missions abroad was pointless.
“We met a situation where foreign affairs was not being funded like it should be. Some loopholes are exploited by the likes of Binance. It is a money problem.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Approves 4 New Appointments (FULL LIST)
“There is no point sending out ambassadors if you do not have the funds for them to even travel to their designated countries and to run the missions effectively, one needs funding. Mr President is working on it, and it will be done in due course,” Tuggar said.
A foreign service official explained that though provisions had been made in the 2025 budget to cover some of that cost, the funds were hardly enough.
Nominees on the list
Senior Presidency and foreign service officers say although the complete list of nominees is highly classified, some prominent and controversial figures are being screened.
One official said, “They’re going to announce the appointments soon. They are being screened as we speak. The names of the nominees are highly classified for now because not every one of the names listed will eventually make it through.
“FFK [Femi Fani-Kayode] is on the list. These are some of the controversial names that have been put forward as well. Then there is Fola Adeola [founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc] and Femi Pedro too. They’re moving on with the process more quickly this time.”
Giving reasons for the slow process, another official explained that the vetting was necessary to avoid complications that might hurt the country’s standing on the global scene.
READ ALSO: Knocks As Eniola Badmus Reiterates Her Support For President Tinubu
“The nominees are being vetted, and background checks are being conducted on them. It is usually done so that the nominees will not have any security issues and their deployment will not have a negative impact on the country,” the official said.
There was also a claim that Reno Omokri, a former aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was on the list.
But a credible source in the Presidency denied it.
“Reno is not on the list. But FFK is there,” the source said.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who earlier spoke about the delays, said nominations for ambassadorial roles must be thorough before a final list is transmitted to the National Assembly.
“Don’t forget that the ambassadorial list has two components. There are career ambassadors and political ambassadors. The foreign affairs list and the consolidated list will still go through certain processes before they are released,” he explained.
Two of the nominees, when contacted by The PUNCH, declined comment.
They also did not confirm or deny the report.
News
Edo Deputy Gov Orders Installation Of Solar In PHC Facility

Deputy governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, on Monday, ordered the immediate installation of solar power at Aruogba Clinic, Benin to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
A statement by Friday Aghedo, Chief Press Secretary to the deputy governor, said the order was given when Idahosa went on an inspection visit to the health facility.
The deputy governor, while reinstating the state government’s commitment to strengthening grassroots healthcare system across the state, noted that as a result, Primary Health Centers (PHCs) across the state were being transformed to deliver on governor Monday Okpebholo’s SHINE Agenda.
READ ALSO:Idahosa Lauds Edo Specialist Hospital Facilities
While commending the pace of work at Aruogba Clinic, he said: “We are here to ensure that the health facilities closest to the people are well equipped to bequeath the healthcare system that the Governor has promised.
“From what we are seeing here today, it is clear that Governor Okpebholo is a man of vision. The accessibility is very good, and the nurses and health workers here are doing commendable jobs,” he stated.
The deputy governor added that the government would intensify supervision of PHCs across Edo to identify and fix areas needing urgent attention.
READ ALSO:Idahosa Hosts NBA, Assures Of Government’s Collaboration
“We are going to visit many other centres and act within 24 hours on areas of improvement,” he assured.
Idahosa emphasized that proper supervision was key to ensuring compliance with medical standards and improved service delivery at the grassroots.
His remarks were echoed by Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, who explained that the administration was working with the “3As” of healthcare: accessibility, affordability, and availability.
“The solar installation at Aruogba Clinic, officials said, will boost critical services such as antenatal care, child delivery, and malaria treatment, all of which are already being offered free of charge,” he explained.
News
Oba Of Benin Ushers In ‘Emorọ’

Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, is set to perform an age-long Emorọ otherwise known as the ‘New Yam Festival.’
A statement signed by Frank Irabor, Secretary, Benin Traditional Council, said the ceremony which takes place on Tuesday September 30th 2025, is expected to be indoors in the Palace of the Oba of Benin.
Irabor added that the ceremony followed a successful completion of two-weeks fasting and prayer declared by Oba Ewuare II for peace, progress and to usher-in Emorọ.
READ ALSO:Oba Of Benin Suspends Palace Chiefs
Irabor said Oba Ewuare II used the fasting period to pray for the good people of Edo State and Nigeria and other people of goodwill.
The statement reads, “Accordingly, Omo N’ Oba appreciates all Edo indigenes and non indigenes and Edo sons and daughters in the diaspora that participated in the spiritual exercise and urge them to commence the consumption of Emorọ (new yam), while praying God Almighty and his Royal ancestors to answer their prayers.”
It added: “The indoor ceremony of ushering new yam (Emorho) into the Palace, would be performed on Tuesday, 30th September, 2025″.
READ ALSO:Oba Of Benin Replaces Suspended Dukes, Appoints New District Heads
“Thereafter, all sons and daughters of Benin Kingdom and, by extension indigenes and non-indigenes living in Edo State who participated in the two weeks fasting and prayer are to commence the eating of the new yam.
“The Omo N’Oba prays to God Almighty to grant us peace and happiness in our individual homes”.
News
UNIBEN Bars 5000 Students From Writing Exam

No fewer than 5,000 students of the University of Benin are likely to miss the second semester examination over failure to pay their school fees.
A memo released by the Registrar of the institution, Ademola Bobola, said they are the students who failed to pay their school charges despite repeated reminders, and that they failed to subscribe to students’ loan being provided by the Nigerian Education Students’ Loan Fund (NELFUND).
According to Bobola, to make sure that the defaulting students are bar from writing the second semester examination which has already commenced today, September 29, 2025, the school management has put in place an enforcement team.
The memo reads partly, “With the Second Semester examination set to begin on Monday 29th September, 2025, these students shall be barred from writing the examination if they fail to pay their school charges or subscribe to the students loan by NELFUND.
READ ALSO: UNIBEN Releases Screening Results, Begins Admission Process
“About 5,000 students have been identified in this category of defaulters.
“In compliance with the directive of Senate of the University of Benin, these students SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED to write the forthcoming examination.
“Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, Deans, Directors and Heads of Departments are SPECIALLY required to enforce the directive of Senate without compromise.
“In this regard, the Provost, Deans, Directors and Heads of Departments are to publish the list of ALL DEFAULTING STUDENTS in their respective Colleges, Schools, Faculties, Institutes and Departments not later than 8am on Monday, 29th September, 2025.
READ ALSO:200-level Student Wins Car As MTN Thrills UNIBEN With Campus Invasion
“This is to enable the affected students to know their status as defaulters and afford them the opportunity to remedy their situation before the examination begins.
“Management has, accordingly, appointed an Enforcement Task Force headed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), to monitor and enforce full compliance with the directive of Senate.
“Management expects full cooperation and compliance by all stakeholders to maintain the University’s high standards.”
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