Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to nominate the immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, for an ambassadorial post. In a post on X on Thursday, Atiku wrote: “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
He argued that the nomination creates “terrible optics” for an administration already struggling with credibility and risks being seen as a political reward rather than a merit‑based appointment. Atiku warned that it sends the wrong message to the electoral body, suggesting that partisan or poorly executed elections could be rewarded. He described the move as “morally indefensible” for an electoral umpire who presided over one of Nigeria’s most disputed polls to become a beneficiary of its outcome 
The nomination is now before the Senate for consideration. While the appointment awaits legislative approval, Atiku’s remarks add to the debate over the appropriateness of rewarding former electoral officials with diplomatic posts.
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