The Senate has confirmed the nomination of 82-year-old Sylvanus Nsofor, Joseph Iji and Yusuf Hinna as non-career ambassadors of Nigeria.
This followed the adoption of the report the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Presenting the report at Wednesday plenary, Chairman of the Committee, Monsurat Sunmonu revealed that although the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to clear the octogenarian on account of old age and inability to meet the demands of his office, he was, however, not found with criminal records.
Recall that the upper legislative chamber had rejected the Imo State nominee in late April, even as President Muhammadu re-presented him three days later.
Sunmonu said the panel decided to rescind its earlier decision not to confirm Nsofor because he improved on his first performance where he appeared before the committee.
Justice Nsofor, who retired from the judiciary in 2005 and came in frail and feeble for the Senate first screening, had dismissed questions about his capacity to work when he directed the senators to “go and ask Robert Mugabe who is still working.”
Zimbabwean President Mugabe is aged 93 and has been President of the country since 1987.
According to the lawmaker, the nominee was not sarcastic in his response unlike in his first screening.
When Senate President Bukola Saraki put the question of the confirmation of the three nominees to voice vote, it was unanimously adopted.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
