By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Mounting tension within the Nigerian Senate has followed the nomination of former presidential aide and social media commentator Reno Omokri as an ambassadorial nominee. His inclusion among the 32 names forwarded for confirmation has triggered immediate factional battles, even leading to the shutdown of the lawmakers’ official WhatsApp group.

The controversy stems primarily from Omokri’s past as a vocal critic of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Opponents within the Senate have specifically cited a previous remark in which Omokri labelled the President a “drug baron,” arguing that such history renders him unfit for a diplomatic role.

According to multiple parliamentary sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, Senate President Godswill Akpabio was instrumental in forwarding Omokri’s nomination, reportedly as a reward for political support.

However, in an unexpected twist, the same sources indicate that Akpabio is now mobilizing his loyalists to oppose the nominee he initially championed.

“The senate president had nominated Omokri as a reward for the hatchet job he did for him,” one source disclosed.

“However, Akpabio is rallying some of his clique to screen Omokri out on the claim that he once attacked Tinubu and called him a drug baron.”

Another source revealed that Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West has taken a lead role in mobilising resistance against Omokri.

Ngwu has allegedly been reaching out to colleagues, urging them to reject the nominee on grounds of impropriety, arguing that anyone who made such serious allegations against a sitting President cannot credibly represent Nigeria on the global stage.

Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West Senatorial District, is reported to be rallying senators to reject Omokri with sources revealing that Ngwu has been attacking colleagues against the move.

“Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West Senatorial District, is reported to be rallying senators to reject Omokri,” an insider noted.

“Ngwu has been attacking colleagues against the move.”

The disagreements reportedly spiralled into a larger internal crisis when a Senate WhatsApp group, used for routine communication among lawmakers, was abruptly locked after arguments over Omokri’s nomination intensified.

Senator Ngwu, said to be one of the administrators of the group, allegedly disabled responses to prevent further confrontations. This angered several senators who insisted they had been silenced.

But Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a vocal figure in the Senate, through her social media page, confronted Senator Ngwu over the group shutdown and demanded that he reopen the platform and restore comments that had been deleted during the altercation.

“Dear Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu Enugu West Senatorial District, you will open responses in the Senators WhatsApp forum and repost my deleted comments,” she posted.

“Else I’ll bring the discussion to the public domain.”

Ngwu insisted anyone who had called the president a drug baron cannot represent the president and country.

He said, “Someone who called the President of Nigeria a drug baron and who has not retracted the statement should not represent Nigeria and Nigerians in the international and diplomatic society.

“It’s about the office of the President not about an individual.

“Meanwhile, bring it up…”

His defiance further inflamed tension among senators already divided over the nomination.

Despite the uproar, the Senate is expected to begin screening the ambassadorial nominees on Tuesday.

Nigerian Tracker News learnt that the former presidential aide to Goodluck Jonathan, Omokri, once swore never to accept any appointment or work with President Bola Tinubu.

Reno made the remarks during an appearance on the Mic On podcast, hosted by journalist Seun Okinbaloye, where Omokri was asked directly if he would accept an offer from Tinubu.

“It will never happen,” he said.

Pressed further on whether any scenario could make him reconsider, he added:

“Oh my gosh, I don’t want to betray privilege. Somebody from Bola Tinubu’s camp has already reached out to me, and I told the person that, look, it cannot happen.

“I can’t do it. It’s just against my principles. Some people can do that. It’s not in my DNA. I can’t do it.

“It’s never going to happen,” Omokri said.

Reno Omokri, a prominent social commentator, was among the most vocal critics of Bola Tinubu in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election. He publicly contested Tinubu’s record, qualifications, and personal integrity.

However, Omokri’s stance shifted notably following his independent verification that Tinubu did indeed attend Chicago State University. This confirmation prompted a discernible softening of his previous criticism.