5 Tinubu's Ambassadorial Nominees Caught in Controversies, Full List Emerges
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in letters read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, requested the confirmation of ambassadorial nominees
- Tinubu nominated some individuals as career ambassadors and high commissioners, while others were listed as non-career ambassadors and high commissioners
- Critics have faulted the list of ambassadorial nominees forwarded by the Nigerian leader, saying some are unfit for the position
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - As the senate prepares to screen some of President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees, attention is shifting to those whose controversies could weigh on their representation of the country overseas.
After nearly two years without substantive envoys after recalls from the country’s 109 foreign missions, President Tinubu on Wednesday, November 26, sent three names to the senate as ambassador-designates.
Source: Facebook
On Saturday, November 29, the president followed up with another list containing 32 names.
On Thursday, December 4, he transmitted a letter to the senate updating the list to 65 nominees.
According to the letter, 34 persons were nominated as career ambassadors and high commissioners, while 31 others were nominated as non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.
In the letter, Tinubu urged the senate to give swift consideration to the nominees.
Legit.ng reports that the senate has already completed the screening of several ambassadorial nominees. Others are expected to be screened soon.
5 ambassadorial nominees under fire
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has come under heavy criticism over the composition of the list.
Civil society organisations, opposition parties, and several Nigerians have accused some nominees of having serious integrity and accountability concerns.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused President Tinubu of using strategic diplomatic postings to reward political allies and controversial figures.
Legit.ng has shortlisted five nominees with such controversies:
1) Reno Omokri
Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was one of the most vocal critics of President Tinubu during the 2023 election cycle before suddenly switching his political stance.
During the 2023 campaign, Omokri told Arise TV that Tinubu was a drug lord.
In 2022, Omokri led a protest against Tinubu at Chatham House in the United Kingdom (UK).
In 2023, during an interview with Channels TV, Omokri ruled out ever working with Tinubu.
He said:
“I cannot do it. It is just against my principles. Some people can do that, but it is not in my DNA. It is never going to happen. I wish Bola Tinubu well, but I can never work with him."
2) Femi Fani-Kayode
Known for making controversial statements, the former aviation minister was one of the ardent critics of Tinubu before he defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2021.
He described Tinubu as a man with “bad health and always on drugs” on his Facebook page on March 4, 2015.
Furthermore, 'FFK', as Fani-Kayode is fondly called, once described Tinubu as the biggest traitor ever known in Nigeria.
Fani-Kayode has faced criminal prosecution, corruption charges, and trials spanning four major cases and appeals by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the last 18 years, but he was acquitted of all charges.
3) Ibok-Ete Ibas
Ibas, a retired Vice Admiral, served as the sole administrator of Rivers state from March to September 2025.
He was accused of mismanaging N283 billion during his brief tenure.
In October, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirmed receiving a petition filed by civil rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, demanding a probe into the handling of federal allocations to Rivers state by Ibas.
Adeyanju urged the ICPC to urgently investigate Ibas’s financial activities during his administration between March 18 and September 17, 2025.
Also, the Rivers house of assembly said it would investigate the state expenditure during the six months of emergency rule.
But reacting, Ibas said the lawmakers lacked the power to investigate him, pointing out that they did not appoint him as the administrator of the oil-rich state.
He described the lawmakers’ resolve as commentary, adding that the attempt to probe the former administrator was tantamount to probing the president, who appointed him, as well as the national assembly, which supervised his activities.
4) Okezie Ikpeazu
Okezie Ikpeazu served as governor of Abia from 2015 to 2023 on the platform of the PDP.
In 2024, an audit report by KPMG International Nigeria Limited indicted Ikpeazu for allegedly diverting N1.9 trillion from the state’s treasury during his tenure.
According to Premium Times, Ikpeazu's successor, Governor Alex Otti, commissioned the firm to audit the state government’s finances between May 29, 2015, and May 28, 2023.
The 359-page forensic audit report reportedly indicted Ikpeazu for mismanaging Abia state’s funds.
Okey Kanu, Abia's commissioner for information, disclosed in June 2024 that the state government had handed over a copy of the report to the EFCC for possible prosecution.
Source: Facebook
5) Ayodele Oke
Oke, a former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), is one of Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees facing integrity concerns.
In 2019, The PUNCH reported that the EFCC declared Oke and his wife, Folasade, wanted for failing to appear in court to answer N13 billion money-laundering charges against them.
Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of the federal high court, Lagos, issued an arrest warrant against the couple on February 7, 2019, following an oral application by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo.
A statement by the then EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, noted that Oke and his wife were wanted in connection with $43 million, £27,800, and N23.8 million recovered by the commission from an apartment on Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.
Under Oke’s leadership, the NIA was said to have collected $289,202,382 in cash for special operations from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in February 2015.
The agency claimed the funds were for covert intelligence operations, but the federal government maintained it was a case of looting.
The FG subsequently set up a three-man panel headed by former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, which indicted Oke and recommended his dismissal.
Criminal charges were filed against him and his wife over the cash found at the Ikoyi apartment.
However, the EFCC later withdrew the charges on grounds of national security.
New charges were filed in February 2025, but there was no successful arraignment as both husband and wife had left the country.
Tinubu appoints Renewed Hope Ambassador
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has appointed Okey Ezenwa as the Anambra state Renewed Hope Ambassador to mobilise for the 2027 presidential election.
The APC chieftain was unveiled as one of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors for the 2027 Renewed Hope Agenda re-election campaign and mobilisation in the 36 states and the FCT.
Ezenwo expressed gratitude to the president for the political appointment, adding that it is the most important one, while addressing journalists on Thursday, December 4.
Source: Legit.ng
