• Why I participated in screening, by Ndume
The Senate has resolved to formally communicate its concerns to President Bola Tinubu over what it described as lopsidedness in the composition of the recently submitted list of ambassadorial nominees.
  
Also, FixPolitics Initiative expressed deep concern over the list.
  
Former Senate Leader and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Mohammed Ali Ndume, yesterday, explained why he participated in the screening of the nominees by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, despite earlier calling on the President to withdraw the list.
  
Ndume had, on the eve of the screening, urged Tinubu to recall the nominees’ list, citing alleged violation of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that the composition and conduct of the Federal Government must reflect the federal character of Nigeria to promote national unity and loyalty.
  
Addressing journalists, the Borno South lawmaker said he was persuaded by his colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee to take part in the exercise, after securing assurances that the Senate’s observations would be clearly reflected in its report to the President.
  
“I still maintain that the list is lopsided,” Ndume said. “At the committee level, I raised a constitutional point, and we agreed that while we would proceed with the screening, our report will advise the President that the composition of the remaining nominations should be balanced to address concerns over breach of the federal character principle as enshrined in the Constitution.”
  
The list consists of 34 career diplomats and 31 non-career appointees.

Coming after almost two years during which Nigeria’s foreign missions operated without substantive ambassadors, according to Executive Director, #FixPolitics Initiative, Anthony Ubani, citizens expected a well-vetted list that embodied competence, integrity and national balance.

“Instead, the list provoked widespread criticism and disappointment across the country,” he lamented.
For #FixPolitics, one of the most troubling issues is the inclusion of a deceased nominee. “The reported appearance of Adamu Garba Talba of Yobe State, who passed on months before the announcement, has been received with shock and ridicule. Many Nigerians have described it as evidence of poor coordination and a failure of basic due diligence.”
  
#FixPolitics asserted that the controversy did not end there, noting that the list contained nominees with records that raised public concern.
  
“Among them is the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, whose conduct during the disputed 2023 general elections remains the subject of public criticism and legal scrutiny. Political parties and civic groups have questioned the wisdom of nominating a figure whose name is tightly bound to one of the most contested elections in Nigeria’s history.
  
“Another controversial nominee is the public commentator, Reno Omokri, known for his combative style and divisive public engagements. His nomination has split opinion even within his home region. The role of an ambassador requires restraint, maturity and diplomatic tact, qualities that should be demonstrable before nomination,” it added.
  
The distribution of nominees across geopolitical zones is another issue the initiative raised, in a statement.
  
“While some states have more than one nominee, there are those that have none, thereby violating the principle of federal character. This imbalance is a threat to national unity at a time when citizens expect deliberate efforts to strengthen inclusiveness. The uneven distribution reinforces long-standing fears that political considerations, rather than constitutional principles, are driving key national decisions,” it noted.
  
Since ambassadors are the face of the nation abroad, #FixPolitics argues that when the process that produces them appears careless or tainted by political patronage, the damage is profound; “Nigeria’s global image suffers, public trust erodes, national unity is strained, and the professional corps of career diplomats is undermined.”
  
#FixPolitics believes that this moment offers the President and the Senate a clear opportunity to show leadership and accountability. It said the errors on the list “are not minor” but symptoms of systemic weaknesses that must be corrected urgently.