By Muhammad Mamman
A major uproar has erupted over the inclusion of the late Adamu Talba — who passed away in July 2025 — on the recent ambassadorial list submitted by Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The nomination, sent to the Senate for confirmation this week, has drawn sharp condemnation from public critic Mahdi Shehu.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Shehu described the error as a “sad, scandalous and avoidable blunder.” He added that the inclusion of a deceased person in an official government list reveals “deep institutional failures.”
“This clearly shows everything is being done in a panicky, haphazard and fire-brigade approach out of fear and in a hurry to please local and foreign influencers,” Shehu wrote, arguing that the agencies responsible for vetting nominees simply “did not carry out even the most basic checks.”
The mistake has triggered public outrage, with many questioning the competence and diligence of those handling such sensitive appointments. Critics say the incident casts doubt on the entire diplomatic-nomination process under the Tinubu government.
As it stands, it remains unclear whether the nomination of the late senator will be formally withdrawn or corrected, but the controversy has undoubtedly shaken confidence in the administration’s ability to manage high-stakes political appointments properly.
Let me know if you’d like a full background piece on how this happened — including a timeline of the nomination, vetting process, and reactions from other political stakeholders.
