A fresh wave of discord has hit the Nigerian Senate following the submission of former presidential aide and social commentator Reno Omokri as one of the latest ambassadorial nominees. The development has split lawmakers into factions and even led to the temporary shutdown of an internal Senate WhatsApp communication channel.
According to multiple parliamentary insiders, Senate President Godswill Akpabio is believed to have played a pivotal role in moving Omokri’s name forward—reportedly as political compensation for past support. However, in a surprising reversal, Akpabio is now said to be quietly backing efforts to block Omokri during the screening stage, citing his past criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The most vocal opposition appears to be led by Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), who has allegedly been contacting colleagues individually to urge them to vote against Omokri’s confirmation. Ngwu’s argument hinges on Omokri’s previous public statements, including a widely circulated remark in which he described President Tinubu as a “drug baron.”
Ngwu insists that someone who made such accusations, and who has not publicly withdrawn them, cannot credibly serve as Nigeria’s representative abroad.
The internal debate escalated sharply when the senators’ official WhatsApp forum descended into heated arguments. Ngwu, reportedly an administrator of the group, locked the platform to prevent further exchanges. This action angered several lawmakers, who felt they were being deliberately silenced.
One of the strongest reactions came from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who openly demanded that Ngwu reopen the group and restore comments that had been deleted during the conflict. She warned that failure to do so would force her to take the matter “to the public domain.”
Ngwu, however, stood his ground, maintaining that his stance was based on protecting the dignity of the Office of the President rather than personal loyalty.
The controversy has revived Omokri’s earlier declarations that he would never accept an appointment from President Tinubu. During a past appearance on the Mic On podcast with journalist Seun Okinbaloye, Omokri insisted that serving under Tinubu would violate his principles, even revealing that he had once declined overtures from Tinubu’s camp.
He later moderated his criticism after publicly confirming Tinubu’s academic credentials from Chicago.
Despite the intensifying quarrels, Senate sources indicate that the screening of all ambassadorial nominees is expected to begin on Tuesday. How Omokri fares remains uncertain, with the chamber visibly fractured and political loyalties shifting rapidly.
