The opposition party says the inclusion of former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu “rewards failure” and threatens future elections.
Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has strongly faulted President Bola Tinubu’s newly released list of 32 ambassadorial nominees, raising major concerns over the inclusion of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, the PDP described the nominations as “scandalous,” insisting that Yakubu’s tenure at INEC was marked by “inconsistencies, unfulfilled promises, and flawed conduct of the 2023 general elections,” which produced the current administration.
The party said rewarding Yakubu with an ambassadorial position sends a dangerous signal ahead of the 2027 polls.
“Offering him an ambassadorial appointment at a time like this is a glaring example of a skewed reward system,” the PDP said.
“We suspect this is designed as an incentive to the new INEC Chairman to replicate flawed elections in 2027. This is completely unacceptable.”
President Tinubu’s submission to the Senate includes both career and non-career nominees. Among the prominent names are former presidential aide Reno Omokri, ex-Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode, former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, and former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also on the list are former Oyo First Lady Florence Ajimobi, ex-Lagos commissioner Lola Akande, and former Nigerian envoy to the Vatican, Paul Oga Adikwu.
“We Demand Immediate Withdrawal” — PDP
The PDP further alleged that the list contains individuals “widely perceived negatively” due to what it called “integrity deficits and anti-democratic activities,” adding that the development reflects poorly on Nigeria’s international image.
The opposition party argued that it took President Tinubu nearly three years to assemble the list, yet the nominees “fall short of the standards required for global representation.”
“Nigeria deserves better. Sending individuals with tainted political histories is a disservice to the country and a diplomatic setback,” the statement added.
The PDP insisted that the President withdraw the list and present nominees with “unquestionable democratic credentials and moral standing capable of earning global respect.”