Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has called on the National Assembly to subject the latest list of ambassadorial nominees to a thorough and uncompromising vetting process.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, the political commentator claimed some of the individuals put forward by the Presidency required deeper scrutiny, particularly regarding their integrity and past records.
“A very sensitive point I want to make without necessarily maligning anybody. There are a few of these nominees that require more rigorous scrutiny in terms of their background, integrity, and records.
“I hope the President, having nominated them, will now allow the National Assembly to do what it is supposed to do and do it well. They should scrutinise these individuals thoroughly,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed stressed that personal integrity should take precedence over political considerations, regional sentiments, or ethnic balancing. He added that allegations against some of the nominees had not been adequately addressed.
“I think a few of those names need thorough scrutiny. Allegations exist against some, which have not been disproved, and some have been in court.
“This scrutiny will serve the national interest. It will also do justice to President Bola Tinubu’s campaign against corruption and benefit the missions these individuals are being sent to,” he said.
His comments follow President Tinubu’s nomination of 32 individuals as ambassadors on Saturday, a move that has attracted questions over timing.
Critics argue that the administration delayed excessively in releasing the list nearly two years into the administration.
Baba-Ahmed, who resigned from his role in April 2025 over personal reasons and unease with the government’s handling of national issues, also criticised the late release.
“Rather disappointingly, I am not going to cheer President Tinubu. It is very late. Outgoing ambassadors will serve for maybe less than a year and a half.
“We have raised the issue of appointment many times before, but the President did not see fit to act. My opinion is that this should have come a long time ago,” he said.
The ambassadorial nominees include former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu; former minister Femi Fani-Kayode; former presidential aide Reno Omokri; former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; former Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Pedro; Ondo Senator and businessman Jimoh Ibrahim; former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent.
Notably, the President has forwarded the list to the Senate for confirmation. In two letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu requested expedited consideration of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors, according to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
Four women feature among the career nominees, while six are listed among the non-career candidates.
The diplomats are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains key bilateral relationships, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and to multilateral missions such as the UN, UNESCO and the African Union.
Their specific postings will be determined after Senate approval.
The latest nominations follow an earlier submission of three names, set for possible postings to the UK, USA, or France, the Presidency said.
The list has drawn criticism from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which questioned the selection of former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu.
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