Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the nomination of the immediate-past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (EFCC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, as Ambassador by President Bola Tinubu, saying it is “morally indefensible.”
Atiku also said that the nomination represents a burden to an administration that is already grappling with credibility issues.
The Daily Crucible reports that the Presidency had recently rolled out names of ambassadorial nominees, including career diplomats and politicians but some nominations elicited negative reactions from Nigerians.
The former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), said that under no circumstance would he, as President of Nigeria, nominate Prof. Yakubu for ambassadorial position, adding that such a nomination raises serious concerns.
He shared the position on his verified Facebook page on Thursday evening, arguing that Yakubu’s nomination sends the wrong message to the current INEC leadership; that partisan, compromised, or poorly executed elections may ultimately be rewarded.
He stated: “Let me state without ambiguity: under no circumstance would I, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nominate the immediate-past INEC Chairman for an ambassadorial position.
“Such a nomination raises serious concerns. It risks appearing as a quid pro quo rather than a recognition of merit. It presents terrible optics for an administration already struggling with credibility. It sends the wrong message to the current INEC leadership; that partisan, compromised, or poorly executed elections may ultimately be rewarded. And most importantly, it is morally indefensible for an umpire at the centre of one of the most disputed elections in our history to become a beneficiary of its outcome.
“This is not the path to strengthening our democracy or restoring public trust in our institutions.”
