Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu for including former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in a new list of ambassadorial nominees.
Atiku, in a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, described the nomination as inappropriate, damaging to public trust, and suggestive of “political compensation.”
President Tinubu had earlier transmitted a second batch of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, adding 32 names to an initial list of three. The nominees include 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career individuals. Among the notable non-career nominees are former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu.
Reacting specifically to Yakubu’s inclusion, Atiku said he would “under no circumstance” appoint the immediate past INEC boss to such a position, arguing that Yakubu presided over one of the most disputed elections in Nigeria’s history.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the PDP, accused Yakubu of what he called “morally indefensible compromise and partisanship,” stating that nominating him for an ambassadorial role risked reinforcing perceptions that questionable election outcomes could be rewarded.
“Such a nomination raises serious concerns. It risks appearing as a quid pro quo rather than a recognition of merit,” Atiku wrote.
He added that the decision sends the wrong message to the current INEC leadership, suggesting that poorly conducted or compromised elections might lead to personal benefits.
“It presents terrible optics for an administration already struggling with credibility,” he said. “It is morally indefensible for an umpire at the centre of one of the most disputed elections in our history to become a beneficiary of its outcome.”
Atiku concluded by warning that the move undermines efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and restore citizens’ confidence in national institutions.
