The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi has expressed dismay over some of the individuals President Bola Tinubu nominated for ambassadorial positions.
On November 29, Tinubu submitted a list of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the senate, following an earlier list of three nominees sent the previous week.
The list includes Reno Omokri, former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former INEC chairman; Femi Fani-Kayode, ex-minister of aviation; and Okezie Ikpeazu, former Abia governor.
In a post on X on Monday, Obi said that certain names on the list “leave much to be desired”.
He stated, “Yes, some of the names being paraded to represent us as ambassadors globally are shocking. But with a leadership that has allowed mediocrity, corruption, and impunity to rise to the top, who else did you expect them to choose?”
Obi also reflected on the severe economic strain faced by many Nigerians, contrasting it with the attitude of political leaders.
He noted, “When our people are being killed, our leaders are busy hosting dinners. When children are being snatched from their schools, the political class is celebrating and dancing.”
He further added that while countless families struggle to afford basic meals, those in power remain preoccupied with political festivities, saying, “This is not governance. This is not leadership. And this is certainly not the Nigeria we deserve.”
Describing the current hardship as a “pain one carries silently”, Obi narrated an encounter at the Abuja airport where young Nigerians urged him to speak out on the country’s challenges.
He said the situation forces Nigerians to recall negative comments from abroad, including the U.S. president’s remark referring to Nigeria as a “now disgraced country”.
Obi added that the reality on ground explains why such perceptions persist globally.