Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has voiced sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s latest batch of ambassadorial nominees, describing some of the selections as “shocking” and symptomatic of Nigeria’s deteriorating political culture.
According to reports, on November 29, 2025, President Tinubu forwarded a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, days after submitting an earlier trio of names.
The nominees include prominent political figures such as former presidential aide Reno Omokri, ex-aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode, former INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, and ex-Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
Reacting in a statement posted on 𝕏 on Monday, Obi questioned the criteria behind the selections, emphasizing what he sees as a pattern of mediocrity in leadership.
“Yes, some of the names being paraded to represent us as ambassadors globally are shocking,” Obi said.
“But with a leadership that has allowed mediocrity, corruption, and impunity to rise to the top, who else could you expect them to choose?”
The former Anambra governor tied his criticism to Nigeria’s broader economic and social crises, highlighting the everyday struggles of ordinary citizens.
“When our people are being killed, our leaders are busy hosting dinners. When children are being abducted from their schools, the political class is celebrating and dancing,” he said.
“When families cannot afford their next meal, those in power are welcoming defectors and exchanging gifts as though Nigeria is not burning. This is not governance. This is not leadership. And this is certainly not the Nigeria we deserve.”
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Obi also reflected on the emotional toll of the country’s situation, sharing an encounter with young Nigerians at Abuja airport who questioned his recent silence.
“It is the kind of pain that one carries silently,” he said, recalling the humiliating comment by a former American president who referred to Nigeria as a “now disgraced country.”
“Today, when you look around, you begin to understand why the world speaks of us that way.”
