THE STATES THAT WERE SKIPPED ON THE AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEE LIST HAVE NO QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, SAYS SGF: The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. David Babachir Lawal, has said that the four states that were ommitted from President Muhammadu Buhari's list of ambassadorial nominees sent to the National Assembly had no qualified candidates. According to Babachir, "specific criteria had been set by the Presidency to pick nominees and the four states without nominees have no career diplomats in the Foreign Service who met the objective". "Four states didn't make it one way or the other, however, not necessarily on the criteria of seniority. There are criteria and qualifications that are required to post you to go and represent Nigeria, not just because while in the Foreign Service or the civil service you were able to make Grade Level 16 or 17, quite a number of qualifications are needed". The SGF also condemned the National Assembly's decision to suspend the confirmation of the list of 47 ambassadorial nominees forwarded by President Buhari earlier this month, saying, "the issues could have been sorted out with only a phone call". Babachir argued, that where the constitution allows the principle and reflection of the Federal character is only in the appointment of ministers. He also maintained that "the constitution makes it clear that it is the prerogative of the President to nominate Ambassadors and the criteria he will use to do so is also the constitutional right of the President. Whatever criteria he chooses to use is constitutional". The four states without ambassadorial nominees are Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Ondo and Plateau. Although, some states like Kano and Katsina got two nominees each.