The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent ambassadorial appointments, describing the list as insensitive and politically motivated, with particular concern over the nomination of former INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party argued that the appointments represent political rewards rather than strategic diplomatic selections.
President Tinubu had on Saturday announced the appointment of 32 new career and non-career ambassadors, including former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, former presidential media aide Reno Omokri, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and several other prominent political figures.
However, the ADC expressed strong objections to Yakubu’s inclusion, noting that he supervised the 2023 election that brought Tinubu to power.
“After waiting for more than two years, and with Nigeria’s diplomacy and global perception in historic tatters, President Bola Tinubu presents an outrageously underwhelming ambassadorial list that appears designed to settle his political IOUs rather than fix Nigeria’s urgent international relations crises,” the ADC stated.
The party argued that Yakubu’s nomination undermines INEC’s credibility and blurs the line between electoral umpires and political players.
“At the heart of this troubling list lies the nomination of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who conducted the election that brought Tinubu in as President of Nigeria,” the statement read.
The ADC described the appointment as “embarrassingly insensitive,” coming barely two years after Yakubu supervised what it termed “a highly controversial election” and only weeks after his departure from INEC.
“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,” the party warned.
The opposition party suggested that once such expectations become entrenched, “neutrality becomes impossible, partisanship becomes inevitable, and elections become transactional.”
Analyzing the broader list, the ADC noted: “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.”
While acknowledging that Nigerian law does not mandate a cooling-off period for such appointments, the party insisted that ethical standards must be maintained, particularly when democratic foundations are at stake.
“We are aware that there is no stipulated ‘cooling off’ period under our laws, but even when the law is silent, ethical standards must be upheld, especially when the situation attacks the very foundation of our democracy,” the ADC stated.
The party issued a dual appeal regarding Yakubu’s nomination.
“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 concluded.
All ambassadorial nominations require Senate confirmation before appointments can be finalized.
