Ambassadorial nominees fumble while reciting national anthem, pledge

Two ambassadorial nominees on Tuesday failed to recite the national anthem and the pledge properly before a senate screening committee.

The would-be ambassadors are Vivian Okeke from Anambra state and Ibrahim Isa from Niger state.

Monsurat Sunmonu, chairman senate committee on foreign affairs, had asked the nominee from Anambra state to recite the national anthem, but she muddled it up.

Isa, from Niger state, was asked to recite the pledge, but he muddled it up as well.

James Manager, a member of the committee, then came to their rescue by correcting their mistakes.

‎A third ambassadorial nominee, Baba Garba, from Kano state, mumbled and fumbled when he was asked to recite the pledge, to the consternation of the guests.

He mixed up all the lines of the pledge, and he left the‎ committee room “bowed”.

President Muhammadu Buhari had sent the names of 47 career diplomats to the senate for confirmation as ambassadors.

The exclusion of some states from the pool of nominees had ignited a controversy, but the government explained that some states were excluded because they did not have qualified career diplomats.