The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a hard swipe at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest list of ambassadorial nominees, accusing the administration of turning sensitive diplomatic postings into political compensation packages rather than tools for restoring Nigeria’s battered global image.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the inclusion of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu — immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) — raises “serious ethical red flags” and further erodes trust in an electoral system already struggling for legitimacy.
The party warned that Yakubu’s nomination “lends weight to lingering suspicions that the former INEC boss may not have acted as a neutral referee during the controversial 2023 election,” noting that the poll he oversaw remains deeply disputed and left INEC in what it described as “a major credibility crisis.”
The ADC argued that the timing and composition of the list were damaging to Nigeria’s diplomatic reputation.
“At a time when the country urgently needs a disciplined and credible diplomatic corps to rebuild global confidence, President Tinubu has outdone himself by presenting what appears to be a cast of political loyalists, corruption suspects, and family members of political allies,” the statement read.
The party described Yakubu’s nomination as “embarrassingly tone-deaf,” insisting that allowing an immediate past election umpire to transition directly into a political appointment would blur the essential lines between those who conduct elections and those who benefit from them.
“If this stands, it sets a dangerous benchmark where future INEC chairmen may begin to view their roles as pathways to political patronage,” the ADC warned.
The party questioned the criteria used in assembling the list, noting that most nominees fall into three groups: former career diplomats, political allies (or their relatives), and loyal members of the ruling party. “We are compelled to ask: which of these categories does Prof. Yakubu belong to?” the statement asked.
While acknowledging that no law prevents the former INEC chairman from accepting the role, the ADC stressed that ethical considerations should prevail. “Even when the law is silent, standards must be upheld — especially where national democratic foundations are at stake,” the statement noted.
The party urged Prof. Yakubu to decline the appointment “in the interest of INEC’s institutional reputation, the credibility of future elections, and his own personal legacy.” It also called on the Senate to reject the nomination if he fails to step aside, describing such action as necessary to protect public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
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