The Nigerian Senate has dismissed claims that it received petitions from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Abuja indigenes, or any organisation opposing the screening of Reno Omokri and other ambassadorial nominees submitted by Bola Tinubu.
The rebuttal follows speculation alleging that some nominees, including Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, and Mahmood Yakubu, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, were facing coordinated opposition ahead of confirmation.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, spokesperson of the Senate, said no formal petition was submitted to the upper legislative chamber.
When asked by Punch about alleged petitions from IPOB and Federal Capital Territory indigenes, Adaramodu said the senate had not received any such correspondence.
“What is IPOB? That group is outlawed and proscribed. It is not recognised by our laws and Constitution. I am telling you that we didn’t receive petitions from anybody, organisation or legal entity, not even from any faceless, outlawed and rogue element.
“There was no petition against any nominee. So, if a group of masquerades put themselves together on the streets of Gwagwalada and say they are writing a petition, should we treat such a thing?
“We only treat petitions written by identifiable bodies, individuals, corporate organisations and political parties. So, as I earlier said, IPOB is outlawed. It is not even on our radar,” he said.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs continued its screening of ambassadorial nominees on Thursday, entering the second day of the exercise.
Earlier in the week, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a human rights lawyer and counsel to IPOB, urged the Senate to reject Omokri’s nomination.
Ejiofor described the nomination as “a historical error-in-progress” and “a national embarrassment,” ADDING that Omokri’s alleged “ethnic bigotry” and past conduct make him unfit for diplomatic service.
Ejiofor said Omokri’s inclusion on the ambassadorial list was “a bewildering lapse in judgment,” ACCUSING those who recommended Omokri of having “swapped statesmanship for slapstick”.
