Pandemonium broke out on Thursday during the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs’ screening of ambassadorial nominees as Senators Ali Ndume and Adams Oshiomhole clashed over whether former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, should undergo questioning or be allowed the traditional “take a bow and go.”
The session was already tense due to the packed venue and the calibre of nominees present.
Trouble began when Ndume, vouching for Omokri and claiming a 25-year relationship with him, moved that he and several others be permitted to bow and leave without interrogation.
Oshiomhole rejected the motion, insisting that lawmakers must comment on the nominees before any approval, a stance that immediately angered Ndume.
The disagreement quickly escalated into an exchange of insults as Ndume accused Oshiomhole of being a “tout,” while Oshiomhole fired back, calling Ndume a “hypocrite” but stressing that he still supported the President’s choices.
Fellow senators intervened to restore calm before the screening could continue.
Despite the confrontation, Omokri eventually took a bow without facing any questions, clearing one more hurdle toward becoming a Nigerian ambassador.
His nomination has stirred debate due to his past criticisms of government leaders, including President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 election season.
The screening featured several high-profile nominees—among them former INEC Chairman Mahmud Yakubu and ex-COAS Abdulrahman Dambazau—many of whom also received “bow and go” privileges.
President Tinubu had forwarded a list of 65 nominees to the Senate, even as Ndume, who had earlier criticised the list over federal character concerns, surprisingly supported the same candidates during the session.