Atiku slams Tinubu’s nomination of ex-INEC chair as ambassador

A file photo of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, for an ambassadorial post.

Atiku said that if he were President of Nigeria, he would never nominate a past INEC chairman as an ambassador.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, he said he would not consider such a move, insisting it would send the wrong signals to the public and undermine trust in the electoral system.

“Let me state without ambiguity: under no circumstance would I, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nominate the immediate past INEC Chairman for an ambassadorial position,” the former VP wrote.

Tinubu submitted Yakubu’s name as part of a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation on November 29.

The list, which includes 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors, features other prominent figures such as former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode and ex-presidential aide Reno Omokri.

However, Yakubu’s nomination has sparked debate, stemming from the fact that his tenure at INEC ended only a few weeks ago and that he presided over the 2023 general elections, which ushered in Tinubu as President.

According to Atiku, appointing the ex-INEC chairman to a diplomatic position would raise “serious concerns” and risk being interpreted as a reward for the conduct of one of Nigeria’s most disputed elections.

“It presents terrible optics for an administration already struggling with credibility. It sends the wrong message to the current @inecnigeria leadership; that partisan, compromised, or poorly executed elections may ultimately be rewarded.

“And most importantly, it is morally indefensible for an umpire at the centre of one of the most disputed elections in our history to become a beneficiary of its outcome,” he said.

Atiku further noted that such a nomination undermines efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and restore public trust in institutions.

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