ADC Slams Tinubu, Says Yakubu’s Nomination Threatens Electoral credibility

The African Democratic Congress on Sunday criticised President Bola Tinubu’s new set of ambassadorial nominees, raising concern over why former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was included. The party released its reaction through its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi.

The ADC said the country has waited more than two years for a new diplomatic team, yet the list sent to the Senate does not meet the nation’s needs. According to the party, the nominations appear to reward political allies instead of fixing Nigeria’s troubled foreign relations.

The party said Yakubu’s nomination was its biggest concern. Yakubu supervised the controversial 2023 general elections that produced Tinubu as president, and the ADC said the timing of the appointment raises fresh questions about neutrality in future elections. The party argued that placing a former electoral umpire in such a political role only a short time after leaving office could weaken public trust in the electoral system.

The ADC also questioned the overall makeup of the list, saying most of the selected names fall into groups such as former diplomats, political supporters, or relatives of people close to the presidency. It said it could not understand which group Yakubu belongs to, since the position he held required strict fairness and distance from political rewards.

While noting that the law does not forbid former electoral officials from taking appointments immediately after their tenure, the ADC said moral caution is still necessary. The party asked Yakubu to turn down the offer to protect his past work, INEC’s reputation, and future elections. It also urged the Senate to reject his nomination if he does not withdraw.

Earlier reports showed that Tinubu sent a second batch of nominees to the Senate, asking for quick confirmation of 32 more names. The presidency listed several political figures among the non-career nominees, including Reno Omokri, former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Pedro, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and others from various states.

The new list came in addition to an earlier set of three nominees sent to the Senate days before, as the president moved to fill ambassadorial roles with both career and non-career diplomats.