Former Defence Minister Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and outgoing Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] national chairman


Dr. Ahmadu Ali are among some 90 persons selected by the Presidency for appoint-ment as Nigerian ambassadors and high commissioners to various countries, Daily Trust learnt in Abuja yesterday. They are to represent Kano and Kogi States respectively.

President Umaru Yar’Adua is expected to shortly forward a list of his ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, as required by the Constitution. Kwankwaso was governor of Kano State in 1999-2003 and more recently, former president Olusegun Obasanjo made him Special Envoy to Darfur and Somalia. Dr. Ali, a former Chief

Consultant Physician in the Nigeria Army Medical Corps, has chaired the PDP since 2005. He was a former senator, former Federal Commissioner for Education and the first director general of the National Youth Service Corps [NYSC].

Daily Trust learnt that the former Minister of State for Power and Steel, Alhaji Ahmed Abdulhamid from Jigawa State, has also made the ambassadorial list. Abdul-hamid, a very close political associate of Jigawa State governor Alhaji Sule Lamido, was earlier nominated for ministerial appointment, but the Presidency later asked the Jigawa PDP chapter to replace him.

Also slated for the envoy’s list, Daily Trust learnt, was Alhaji Ibrahim Mai Sule, from Yobe State. Mai Sule was a banker for many years. More recently, he has been engaged in business and politics. Abuja–based businessman Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, from Zamfara State, has also made the list, sources said last night.

Compilation of the envoys’ list began last month when a top-level meeting at the State House worked out the appointment criteria and sharing formula. The meeting, presided over by President Yar’Adua, had in attendance Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, Senate President David Mark, House of Representatives Speaker Mrs. Patricia Etteh, PDP national chairman Dr. Ahmadu Ali and the then PDP national secretary, Chief Ojo Maduekwe.

The meeting agreed that each state in the country would have not less than two and not more than three ambassadors, at least one of whom must be a career forign service officer. State PDP chapters were then asked to forward three names each for consideration, with a warning from Yar’Adua that if any state chapter forwards nomi-nees that are not suitable, he would feel free to nominate others from the same state. Presidency sources said Yar’Adua left the choice entirely to the PDP chapters and did not nominate any envoys himself.

Ali is so uncouth anytime he talks especially to his critics. Will he be able to briddle his tongue as a diplomat?