Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in 2023 election, has expressed concern over some of the individuals President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated for ambassadorial positions.
Gatekeepers News reports that Tinubu recently forwarded a list of 32 nominees to the Senate, following an earlier batch of three names.
The list includes Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission; Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister; and Okezie Ikpeazu, a former Governor of Abia State.
In a post on X, Obi said a number of the nominees were difficult to comprehend. He wrote, “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?”
The former Anambra state Governor also spoke about the rising economic hardship, saying the conduct of those in authority does not reflect the struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
He said, “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.”
“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.”
The former Anambra Governor described the situation as a burden that many citizens now endure quietly. He shared an encounter at the Abuja airport where young Nigerians asked why he had not spoken on the country’s current problems.
Obi noted that the hardship reminds him of an old remark by an American president who once called Nigeria a “now disgraced country.”
He added, “Today, when you look around, you begin to understand why the world speaks of us that way.”
