The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken strong exception to President Bola Tinubu’s newly submitted list of ambassadorial nominees, describing it as “scandalous,” “embarrassing,” and a reflection of what it called the administration’s poor governance standards.
Tinubu had on Saturday transmitted 32 additional names to the senate, following an earlier list of three nominees. The expanded list includes several high-profile political figures such as former INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, former presidential aide Reno Omokri, ex-aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Reacting in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the president’s selections raise questions about judgment, credibility, and Nigeria’s international reputation.
The opposition party accused the president of elevating individuals it described as “questionable and unfit,” alleging that some of the nominees have track records that undermine “democratic values and global diplomatic expectations.”
“It is deeply troubling that the president would take nearly three years only to produce a list that leaves Nigerians in shock and disbelief,” Ememobong said. “This delay is not for want of competent Nigerians, but a sign of the paucity of excellent people within the president’s inner circle.”
The PDP argued that ambassadorial positions are meant to project Nigeria’s best, not reward political allies or individuals with controversial pasts.
“Ambassadors are an extension of the character of the president who appoints them,” the statement read. “By forwarding these names, the president is telling Nigerians that this is the calibre of individuals he believes can represent our nation.”
The harshest criticism was reserved for Mahmood Yakubu, whom the PDP accused of conducting “flawed and compromised elections.” The party said his nomination for a diplomatic posting sends a dangerous message ahead of the 2027 polls.
“Offering him an ambassadorial role now is a textbook example of a warped reward system,” the PDP said. “It appears calculated to encourage the new INEC chairman to follow the same path in 2027. This is alarming, scandalous, and unacceptable.”
Calling the entire list “an indictment on the administration’s values,” the PDP demanded that the president withdraw the nominations and replace them with individuals of “unquestionable integrity and strong democratic credentials.”
“Sending diplomats with tainted profiles abroad will expose Nigeria to ridicule and damage the country’s credibility,” the party warned. “The president must act swiftly to prevent a diplomatic embarrassment.”
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