Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, has defended the President’s recent ambassadorial nominations, urging Nigerians to refrain from damaging the reputation of individuals who have not been convicted of any crime.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Oshodi described the nominees as the best choices for Tinubu’s administration. He argued that the President has the constitutional prerogative to appoint envoys he believes can advance his government’s agenda.
“This is the best the President has seen for the interests of his administration and for Nigeria. Whether you accept it or anybody else accepts it, it is his discretion. And we’ll see at the end of the day how much they achieve their goal,” Oshodi said.
He added: “We voted for a president. We gave him the prerogative to choose his people. This is the best for his administration to make sure his administration succeeds, whether for economic, security, or even cultural needs.”
Oshodi stressed that it is normal practice for leaders to select people they can work with as envoys, reiterating that none of the nominees had been convicted of wrongdoing. He cautioned against public attacks on their character, saying such criticism was unfair.
Last Saturday, Tinubu released a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to serve in Nigeria’s foreign missions. The list included former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu; former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); former aviation minister Femi Fani-Kayode; and ex-presidential aide Reno Omokri. Earlier, the President had also forwarded the names of Oke, Amin Dalhatu, and retired Colonel Lateef Are to the Senate for confirmation.
The nominations have sparked mixed reactions. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through its spokesman Ini Ememobong, described the list as “scandalous” and demanded its withdrawal. Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) criticised the appointments, alleging they were politically motivated.