Oshiomhole, Ndume fight over Omokri’s Ambassadorial nomination screening at the Senate
Oshiomhole, Ndume fight over Omokri’s Ambassadorial nomination screening at the Senate
Tensions ran high in the Senate on Thursday as an exchange broke out between Senators Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) and Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) during the screening of former presidential aide Reno Omokri for an ambassadorial post.
The confrontation unfolded on the second day of the Senate’s consideration of President Bola Tinubu’s 65 ambassadorial nominees.
Omokri, seated calmly throughout, watched as both lawmakers clashed over procedure and politics.
Trouble began when Oshiomhole attempted to raise concerns during Omokri’s screening, insisting he had the right to speak.
“Look, I cannot be intimidated by people who go here and there. After all, we see people on television questioning this list,” Oshiomhole said.
Ndume immediately countered, invoking Senate rules.
“The procedure is that if there is a motion on the ground, it should be seconded. If it is not seconded, it’s dead,” he asserted.
Oshiomhole pressed on, his voice rising as he appealed to the Committee Chairman, Senator Abubakar Bello.
“Just allow me to continue (with what I am saying). Mr Chairman, you have allowed me. Please protect me,” he shouted.
Despite repeated attempts by the chairman to de-escalate the situation, Oshiomhole continued, saying: “All right! Mr Chairman, I think I need to speak on this in the public interest, with particular reference to the nomination of Reno. We cannot pretend we have not heard stories.”
Ndume fired back sharply: “There is no such petition before us. The Senate is not a joke!”
The verbal exchange quickly turned personal. Oshiomhole referenced his tenure as a former governor, only for Ndume to retort: “You have never dreamed of being a senator when I became one.”
Chairman Bello eventually stepped in again, citing the unresolved motion and restoring calm.
Omokri, the subject of the dispute, remained composed throughout the altercation.
Thursday’s dispute followed another embarrassing moment for the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs a day earlier.
On Wednesday, ambassadorial nominee Emmanuel Adeyemi struggled to name all three senators from his home state of Ekiti.
While he correctly identified Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator Yemi Adaramodu, he was unable to recall the third senator, prompting an aide to attempt a Google search.
The lapse drew criticism, with Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong describing the incident as evidence of inadequate preparation among nominees.
Despite the misstep, Adeyemi’s nomination remains under consideration alongside that of Erelu Angela Adebayo and Olumilua Oluwayemika, also representing Ekiti.
