The Senate is sharply divided over the nomination of former presidential aide Reno Omokri as an ambassador, with tensions erupting after his past criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — including calling him a “drug baron” — resurfaced. Multiple sources say Senate President Godswill Akpabio initially pushed Omokri’s nomination as a reward for political work, only to later mobilise loyalists against him.
Senator Osita Ngwu has taken the lead in rallying colleagues to reject Omokri, insisting that “someone who called the President of Nigeria a drug baron and who has not retracted the statement should not represent Nigeria and Nigerians in the international and diplomatic society.” The dispute escalated when a Senate WhatsApp group was locked by Ngwu, prompting Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to publicly demand the restoration of deleted comments, saying, “you will open responses in the Senators WhatsApp forum and repost my deleted comments.” Despite the uproar, the screening of all ambassadorial nominees is expected to begin on Tuesday.