Citizen Petitions Senate President Akpabio, Opposes Nomination of Reno Omokri as Ambassador

Abuja, Nigeria — A public petition has been addressed to the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, urging the upper chamber to reject the nomination of Mr. Reno Omokri for an ambassadorial appointment on grounds of alleged unsuitability.

The letter, written by Valentine Obienyem and titled “The Unsuitability of Mr. Reno Omokri for Ambassadorial Appointment,” raises concerns over what the author describes as Mr. Omokri’s “publicly documented record of sustained verbal attacks” against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Obienyem noted that his intervention was not motivated by political rivalry or partisan considerations, but by what he termed “patriotic duty” to safeguard Nigeria’s international reputation. He emphasised the Senate’s constitutional responsibility to thoroughly vet nominees and ensure that only individuals of proven character and dignity represent the nation abroad.

According to the letter, Mr. Omokri had, in recent years, repeatedly made disparaging remarks about President Tinubu, referring to him in published comments as a “drug addict,” a “drug pusher,” “an invalid who has lost his faculties,” and “the grandfather of corruption.”

Obienyem argued that appointing someone who had publicly issued such statements to serve as Nigeria’s envoy would create credibility challenges for the country’s diplomacy.

“What message do we intend to send to the host country if such a man is confirmed to represent Nigeria there?” the letter asked. “How will Nigeria be respected when our ambassadors are seen as people whose personal convictions can be bent for convenience, or who are rewarded despite undermining the dignity of the state?”

The author suggested that if President Tinubu still wished to engage Omokri’s services, it should be in a domestic capacity where potential embarrassment would be “local,” rather than on the international stage. Ambassadors, he stressed, must embody consistency, honour, and integrity, as they serve as the face of the nation abroad.

Obienyem further cautioned that Nigeria, already confronted with image-management challenges on the global front, should not worsen its situation by deploying a representative whose past statements could compromise diplomatic engagements from the outset.

He concluded by expressing confidence that the Senate, under Akpabio’s leadership, would “act in the interest of Nigeria’s dignity” by rejecting the nomination.

Neither Mr Omokri nor the Office of the Senate President had issued an official response at the time of filing this report.