National Assembly Should Scrutinise Nominated Ambassadors Thoroughly — Baba-Ahmed

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has urged the National Assembly to scrutinise the latest ambassadorial nominees thoroughly.

The political commentator spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.

“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 [Bola Tinubu], 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,” Baba-Ahmed said.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Nominates Omokri, Fani-Kayode, Ugwuanyi, Mahmood Yakubu, 28 Others As Ambassadors

He stressed the importance of prioritising personal integrity above politics, regionalism, or ethnicity.

“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.

Following President Tinubu’s ambassadorial appointments on Saturday, many had faulted the administration over the delay.

Baba-Ahmed, who resigned in April 2025 over personal reasons and dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of national issues, also criticised the delayed ambassadorial list.

He said the list should have been released long ago, warning that waiting two years was unworthy.

“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.

“The ambassadors serve a term, are recalled, and sent back. 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.

Over the weekend, President Tinubu nominated 32 persons as ambassadors. The list includes former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, ex-INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, ex-minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and ex-presidential aide Reno Omokri.

Other nominees include 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.

Tinubu has forwarded the names to the Senate for confirmation.

“In two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu asked the Senate to consider and confirm 15 nominees expeditiously as career ambassadors and 17 as non-career ambassadors,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a statement.

A breakdown of the nominees shows four women among career ambassadors and six among non-career ambassadors.

Onanuga said the nominees are expected to be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains strategic bilateral relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and to Permanent Missions such as the UN, UNESCO, and the African Union.

Their specific diplomatic assignments will be confirmed after Senate approval.

This latest list follows an earlier submission of three names to the Senate, all of whom are in line for postings to the UK, USA, or France after confirmation, the presidency said.

The nominations have attracted criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who questioned the choice of the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu.