According to a report by Daily Post on Tuesday 2 December, 2025, the Presidency has offered fresh insight into why some unexpected names appeared on President Bola Tinubu’s new ambassadorial list – a list that has stirred quite a bit of noise since it reached the National Assembly last week.
Demola Oshodi, who serves as Senior Special Assistant on Protocol to the President, tried to calm the debate during an appearance on Arise TV’s Morning Show. The inclusion of former INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, ex-Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and former presidential aide Reno Omokri sparked mixed reactions nationwide. Many Nigerians were openly wondering why figures long associated with controversy were suddenly being prepared for diplomatic assignments.
Oshodi stated that people were reading the choices too narrowly. In his view, every major appointment in Nigeria attracts its share of critics and supporters, and this one is no different. What ultimately matters, he said, is that the administration maintains a sense of balance and factors in what it believes will contribute to its success.
Pressed on how these particular nominees might shape Nigeria’s foreign policy before 2027, he pointed to Yakubu’s long public career, noting that the former INEC boss oversaw two general elections and, in the government’s view, handled the process credibly enough to count as relevant experience. Oshodi explained that political appointees in diplomacy are often selected first for loyalty and alignment with the administration’s vision, even though their backgrounds might not resemble those of career diplomats.
When asked whether Yakubu’s “loyalty” had been demonstrated through the outcome of the 2023 election, Oshodi pushed back. He said the nomination wasn’t about rewarding election behaviour but about acknowledging a record of national service, along with the usual considerations of ethnicity and state representation. He stressed that he couldn’t speak to the President’s exact reasoning but maintained that Yakubu had served the country for many years in a way the administration considered commendable.
He made a similar case for Fani-Kayode, arguing that diplomatic postings vary widely and some require personalities with specific strengths. According to Oshodi, the President believes Fani-Kayode has demonstrated competence across several roles in government. Past controversies, he suggested, don’t automatically disqualify someone from serving again. Personal matters, he added, should remain personal, and what counts most is whether the individual has contributed to national service and fits into the wider balance the President is trying to strike.
As for Reno Omokri, Oshodi implied the logic was largely the same: political appointments often hinge on perceived capacity, loyalty, and strategic usefulness – factors that may not align with public expectations but make sense within the administration’s internal calculus.
In short, the Presidency is urging Nigerians to look beyond the headlines and consider the mix of political, regional, and service-related motivations that typically shape ambassadorial lists – even when the names on them raise eyebrows. View, More,
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