Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent ambassadorial appointments, describing some of the nominees as “shocking” and reflective of Nigeria’s declining political standards.
President Tinubu submitted 32 names to the Senate for confirmation on November 29, 2025, following an earlier batch of three nominees. The list includes controversial political figures such as Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide; Femi Fani-Kayode, ex-aviation minister; Professor Mahmood Yakubu, former INEC chairman; and Okezie Ikpeazu, former Abia State governor.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Obi questioned the criteria used in selecting the nominees, linking the choices to what he described as a culture of mediocrity in Nigerian leadership.
“Yes, some of the names being paraded to represent us as ambassadors globally are shocking,” Obi stated. “But with a leadership that has allowed mediocrity, corruption, and impunity to rise to the top, who else did you expect them to choose?”
The former Anambra State governor extended his criticism beyond the appointments, accusing the political class of being insensitive to the suffering of ordinary Nigerians amid widespread insecurity and economic hardship.
“When our people are being killed, our leaders are busy hosting dinners. When children are being snatched from their schools, the political class is celebrating and dancing,” he said. “When families cannot afford their next meal, those in power are welcoming defectors and exchanging gifts as though Nigeria is not burning.”
Obi described the current situation as a failure of governance and leadership, asserting that Nigerians deserve better.
“This is not governance. This is not leadership. And this is certainly not the Nigeria we deserve,” he declared.
The opposition politician also shared a personal anecdote about an encounter at Abuja airport on Monday, where young Nigerians confronted him about his perceived silence on national issues. He admitted that the country’s deteriorating condition has become a source of deep personal pain.
Obi referenced recent international criticism of Nigeria, including remarks by US President Donald Trump, who described the country as “now disgraced.”
“It is the kind of pain that makes you remember the humiliating remark from the American president who referred to Nigeria as a ‘now disgraced country,'” Obi said. “Today, when you look around, you begin to understand why the world speaks of us that way.”
The statement marks Obi’s latest public criticism of the Tinubu administration, as political tensions continue to simmer ahead of the 2027 elections.
