President Bola Tinubu has nominated a deceased lawmaker, the late Senator Adamu Talba, as an ambassador five months after his demise.

Mr Talba was on the list of the ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by Mr Tinubu on Thursday.

The late lawmaker who hailed from Yobe State died at the National Hospital Abuja on July 14, 2025, after a brief illness at 73.

The incident stirred widespread controversy on social media, with commentators calling on the President’s team to thoroughly scrutinise appointment lists. 

The letter conveying the request was read on the floor of the Senate on Thursday by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.

Among the nominees are the immediate past Sole Administrator of Rivers State and former Chief of Naval Staff — Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, former Minister of Interior and ex–Chief of Army Staff — Abdulrahman Dambazau, a former presidential aide — Ita Enang; and a former Imo State First Lady — Chioma Ohakim.

In the correspondence, Mr Tinubu called for accelerated consideration to enable the federal government to fill critical foreign diplomatic positions.

Following the announcement, Mr Akpabio referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing the panel to screen the nominees and submit its report within one week.

The list of non-career nominees features several prominent individuals including former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu; former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.

Others are Senator Ita Enang, a former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Chioma Ohakim; Bello Danbazau; Vice Admiral Ibok Ete (retd.) and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, among others.

Both lists have been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is expected to conduct the screening process and report back to the upper legislative chamber in one week.