The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that the nomination of the immediate former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, by President Bola Tinubu as ambassador-designate confirms that he was not neutral in the 2023 presidential election that brought Tinubu to power.
In a statement on Sunday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi described the ambassadorial list as “outrageously underwhelming,” suggesting it was designed to settle the president’s political “IOUs” rather than address Nigeria’s urgent international relations challenges.
The party said the nominees presented by President Tinubu include “political jobbers, corruption suspects, and relatives of political associates,” at a time when Nigeria needs a disciplined and credible diplomatic corps capable of restoring the country’s credibility internationally after a two-year absence.
ADC described Prof. Yakubu’s nomination as “embarrassingly insensitive,” noting that it comes barely two years after he supervised a highly controversial election that brought Tinubu to office, and only a few weeks after leaving his position as INEC Chairman.
“This particular appointment of Prof. Yakubu blurs what should be a distinct line between players and umpires. If allowed to stand, it would set a dangerous precedent where future INEC chairmen and commissioners may view their positions as stepping stones to political rewards. Once that mindset enters our electoral system, neutrality becomes impossible, partisanship becomes inevitable, and elections become transactional,” the party warned.
ADC categorized the ambassadorial list into three groups: former career diplomats or ambassadors, political supporters or their relatives, and members of the president’s political party, questioning which category Prof. Yakubu falls into. “The implication of this is deeply unsettling indeed,” it added.
The party called on Prof. Yakubu to reject the nomination for the sake of INEC’s institutional credibility, the integrity of future elections, and the preservation of his own legacy.
It also urged the Senate to reject the nomination in the interest of the nation’s democracy if he fails to do so.
