- Safiu Kehinde
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has slammed President Bola Tinubu over his nomination of the immediate past Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu, for ambassadorial.
PDP also faulted other names of the list, describing them as characterless politicians and disgraced politicians.
NPO Reported that Tinubu had yesterday released a fresh list of 32 ambassadorial nominees set to be presented before the Senate for approval.
Also making the list alongside Mahmud were
Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta), former Ekiti first lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also in the list are former Oyo First Lady, Fatimah Ajimobi; former Plateau Senator, Professor Nora Ladi Daduut; Otunba Femi Pedro, a former deputy governor of Lagos State; Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister from Osun State; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State are on the nomination list.
Also on the list are former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande, former Adamawa Senator, Grace Bent, former governor of Abia, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, businessman, lawyer and Senator from Ondo State, and the former ambassador of Nigeria to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu from Benue State.
Among the non-career ambassador designates are, are Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia, a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta), former Ekiti first lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Saturday by its new National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP condemned the list, labelling it scadolous and completely unacceptable.
The PDP held that the list showed a clear and direct reflection of the values and estimation of the nominator, Tinubu.
It further faulted the inclusion of Mahmud whose administration as INEC Chairman was allegedly filled with countless double-speaks, flip-flops, and undelivered promises.
The PDP held that offering the ex-INEC boss an ambassadorial role indicated the skewed nature of Tinubu’s reward system, which was also allegedly designed as an incentive to the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to also deliver flawed elections in 2027, in expectation of future rewards.
It called for Tinubu’s withdrawal of the said list and renominate only those with stellar democratic credentials and high moral standing, capable of commanding global respect for the ambassadorial assignments.
Theh statement read; “The Peoples Democratic Party strongly condemns the list of Ambassadorial nominees as submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
“This list contains the names of many people (disgraced propagandists, characterless politicians, and public officials) who are widely perceived negatively by Nigerians and the global community, for their integrity deficit and notable anti-democratic activities.
“This development is not just a sad commentary on our country’s history of diplomatic representation; it is very reprehensible and scandalous.
“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.
“That it took the President almost three years to produce this list speaks to the paucity of excellent people within his reach.
“Specifically, we convey the disappointment of many right-thinking Nigerians on the nomination of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate-past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), whose administration of our electoral umpire was characterised by countless double-speaks, flip-flops, and undelivered promises, which ultimately resulted in the birth of this administration, which is struggling in all areas of governance.
“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. May we remind the President and all Nigerians that the respect a country gets from other countries cannot be separated from the integrity profile and public perception of both the President and the Ambassadors.
“So, appointing and sending ambassadors with tainted political profiles is not only a great disservice to Nigeria but a setup for a diplomatic all-time low.
“To this end, we demand that President Bola Tinubu withdraw the said list and renominate only those with stellar democratic credentials and high moral standing, capable of commanding global respect for the ambassadorial assignments.”