Ambassadorial list: So bad Senate won’t do rigorous screening – Former diplomat

Former Nigerian diplomat Joe Keshi has lashed out at the Senate’s handling of ambassadorial screenings, saying that Nigerians should not expect any rigorous interrogation of nominees.

Keshi made this statement on Monday when he appeared as a guest in an interview on Arise Television, monitored by Reporters.

According to the former ambassador, he had no confidence that the current Senate would challenge any of the names submitted by the presidency, stating that Nigerians should not expect surprises.

“Let’s not waste time debating whether they will surprise us. They will not surprise us. The Senate we know today, under the current leadership, is not going to surprise us,” he said.

Keshi further stated that the Senate has a record of allowing nominees to bypass scrutiny, stressing that the Nigerian Senate does not pursue rigorous investigations.

The former diplomat reiterated that the pattern of allowing nominees to simply take a bow would continue, especially for individuals with strong political connections or ties to serving lawmakers.

He lamented that the lack of proper vetting undermines Nigeria’s global representation and erodes public trust, adding that some nominees on the list have controversial backgrounds and should face serious questioning, yet the Senate is unlikely to confront them.