Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, has issued a direct challenge to the National Assembly (NASS), insisting they must conduct a robust and thorough review of the latest batch of ambassadorial nominees.
Speaking on the Channels Television programme, ‘Sunday Politics,’ on the 30th of November, 2025, Baba-Ahmed articulated the need for extreme caution. “A very sensitive point I want to make without necessarily maligning anybody. There are a few of these nominees that require more rigorous scrutiny in terms of their background, integrity, and records,” he stated.
He further pressed the issue, expressing hope that the President would empower the legislature to execute its duty diligently: “I hope the President (Bola Tinubu), having nominated them, will now allow the National Assembly to do what it is supposed to do and do it well.
They should scrutinise these individuals thoroughly.” The public commentator stressed that the NASS’s priority during this process must be personal integrity, overriding any considerations of politics, regionalism, or ethnicity.
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Baba-Ahmed, who stepped down from his role in April 2025 citing personal reasons and disappointment with the administration’s handling of national challenges, also registered his dissatisfaction with the delayed release of the list. He criticized the timing, stating that the list was long overdue and that “waiting two years was unworthy.”
The call comes after President Tinubu recently nominated 32 individuals as ambassadors over the weekend.
The list of high-profile nominees reportedly includes former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, ex-INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, ex-minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and ex-presidential aide Reno Omokri. Other notable figures on the list are former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, former Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Pedro, Ondo Senator and businessman Jimoh Ibrahim, former Ekiti First Lady Erelu Angela Adebayo, and former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent.