OSAS EMMANUEL
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Tinubu’s newly submitted ambassadorial nominees, describing the list as “scandalous” and a stark reflection of the President’s values.
The opposition party accused the administration of elevating individuals with questionable reputations and “integrity deficits” to positions meant to represent Nigeria on the global stage.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP said Nigerians were “seriously appalled” by several of the names on the list, though “not totally surprised,” citing what it described as the administration’s history of controversial appointments.
According to the party, the quality of the nominees offers an unsettling insight into the President’s own standards. “A nominee is a clear and direct reflection of the values and estimation of the nominator,” the statement read.
“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.”
The PDP also faulted the long delay in releasing the ambassadorial list, saying the near three-year wait “speaks to the paucity of excellent people within his reach.”
One of the most contentious inclusions, the opposition party noted, is former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. The PDP argued that Yakubu’s tenure was marred by “countless double-speaks, flip-flops, and undelivered promises,” culminating in an election that produced a government now “struggling in all areas of governance.”
The party said offering him an ambassadorial role amounted to a reward for failure and could send the wrong signal to the new INEC leadership ahead of the 2027 elections. “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,” the statement added.
Beyond domestic concerns, the PDP warned of global diplomatic consequences. It argued that a nation’s standing abroad is inseparable from the reputations of its leaders and envoys. Sending ambassadors with “tainted political profiles,” it said, would amount to a “great disservice to Nigeria” and could plunge the country into a “diplomatic all-time low.”
The party urged President Tinubu to withdraw the list and resend nominations featuring “only those with stellar democratic credentials and high moral standing, capable of commanding global respect.”
The statement was signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, dated 29 November 2025.
