President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial list has sparked a diplomatic firestorm, with experts, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) criticising some names on the list.
This is as many people raised concerns over the integrity and democratic credentials of several figures on the nomination list.
The core of the backlash is the inclusion of several figures whom critics describe as having tainted political profiles.
Some experts also voiced fears that sending ambassadors with questionable public records would diminish Nigeria’s global reputation and diplomatic standing.
Recall that Tinubu, last Saturday released a list of 32 persons nominated to serve as ambassadors in Nigeria’s foreign missions.
They included a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu; former governors of Enugu and Abia states, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu; a former minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, and a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.
The President had earlier sent the names of Oke, Amin Dalhatu, and Colonel Lateef Are (retd.) to the Senate for confirmation.
Reacting to Tinubu’s ambassadorial list, a former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joe Keshi, questioned the character of some of the nominees.
According to him, some of the nominees have no business being in the diplomatic service “by any standard”.
He said: “I’m comfortable with some names on the list, but the truth of the matter is that the bulk of the people on the non-career list is a bit disturbing. Are these the kind of people we want to represent Nigeria?
“You have people who, if justice had prevailed and if this country had been run properly, and the rules and the rules of the game are obeyed, actually should be cooling their heels in the walls of the prison and not being sent out as ambassadors.
“You have people who have governed their states. They were absolute failures. They showed no leadership when they led their states, and the governors who took over from them are struggling to repair the damage they’ve done to their states.
“Those are the kind of people being rewarded, either because they have helped you to destroy other political parties, and the rest of it.
“Look, as far back as the 1960s, when the diplomatic service was established, those who established the diplomatic service, particularly the Prime Minister, were very clear in their mind about the kind of diplomatic service they wanted for Nigeria.
“He [the Prime Minister] wanted a very competent foreign service. He wanted an independent foreign service. He wanted officers of the foreign service to be well-trained, to be able to compete favourably with their peers all over the world.
“And the first generation of those recruited into the foreign service, and for a long time, met the criteria until the politicians came and started what they are doing today.”
Tinubu’s Ambassadorial List is Scandalous
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the list of ambassadorial nominees submitted by Tinubu, describing the selections as “reprehensible and scandalous.”
PDP made its position known in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Saturday.
The statement reads in part: “While most Nigerians are seriously appalled by the inclusion of most of the nominees, they are not totally surprised, given the history and disposition of this administration.
“Furthermore, it is an incontestable fact that a nominee is a clear and direct reflection of the values and estimation of the nominator.
“By making these nominations, the President has shown Nigerians that these are the best people he has to represent our country in the countries where they will be posted.
“To offer him an ambassadorial appointment at a time like this is an excellent exemplar of a skewed reward system, which we suspect is designed as an incentive to the new INEC Chairman, to also deliver flawed elections in 2027, in expectation of future rewards.
“This is absolutely scandalous and completely unacceptable.”
ADC Slams Tinubu’s Nomination of Former INEC Chair as Ambassador
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), in its reaction also criticized Tinubu’s inclusion of the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his list of ambassadorial nominees, labeling the decision as both “embarrassing and insensitive.”
ADC, in a statement issued by its spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, said the appointment was particularly troubling, coming less than two years after Yakubu oversaw what he called a “highly controversial election” that brought Tinubu to power, and only weeks after his exit as INEC Chairman.
Abdullahi argued that such an appointment further erodes public trust in the integrity and independence of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
According to him, the nomination reinforces concerns that top electoral officials may feel incentivised to act in ways favourable to ruling parties in hopes of securing political rewards after their tenure.
“This particular appointment of Prof. Yakubu blurs what should be a distinct line between players and umpires.
“If allowed to stand, it would set a dangerous precedent where future INEC chairmen and commissioners may begin to see their positions as stepping stones to future political rewards.
“Once that mindset enters the bloodstream of our electoral system, neutrality becomes impossible, partisanship becomes inevitable, and elections become transactional,” he said.
Abdullahi added: “A cursory review of the list would show that almost all the nominees fall into three categories: former career diplomats or ambassadors, political supporters or their relatives, and members of the president’s political party.
“We wonder in which of these three categories Prof. Yakubu belongs. The implication of this is deeply unsettling indeed.”
He said the development raises “serious ethical questions” and called on Nigerians, civil society groups, and democratic institutions to reject actions that undermine electoral credibility.
He urged Yakubu to reject his nomination in the interest of national trust and democratic integrity.
“We therefore call on Prof. Yakubu to do the patriotic thing and reject this appointment for the sake of INEC’s institutional credibility, the integrity of future elections, and the preservation of his own legacy.
“Failing to do so, we call on the Senate to reject his nomination in the interest of our democracy,” the statement added.
Presidency Reacts
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Presidency has rejected criticism of Tinubu’s ambassadorial list.
Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has defended the list, explaining that Tinubu acted in the best interest of Nigeria.
Oshodi made those known while speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, Morning Brief, on Monday.
He said: “Whether it’s Donald Trump sending his friends as ambassadors, or the British government posting Peter Mandelson to Washington despite controversies, it is the nature of the business.
“I’m not saying we should send people of bad character abroad, but it has to be the discretion and political decision of the president or head of state.
“We voted for a president, and we voted for him to make his decisions. This is the best the President has chosen, and it is the best for the interests and success of his administration.
“Your judgment of what is best is different from mine. He sends his people out to represent his government—whether for economic, security, or cultural needs.”
