Lawmakers Split as WhatsApp Group Is Shut Down Amid Battle Over Omokri Nomination

Tension continues to rise in the Nigerian Senate following the inclusion of Reno Omokri on the latest list of ambassadorial nominees, a development that has triggered disputes among lawmakers and led to the temporary shutdown of the Senate’s WhatsApp communication channel, according to a report from Sahara Reporters.

Omokri, a former presidential aide and outspoken political commentator, was listed among 32 nominees forwarded for confirmation. His nomination immediately revived longstanding criticism he once directed at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including a remark in which he described the president as a “drug baron.” The resurfacing of that comment has widened divisions within the Senate.

Multiple parliamentary sources quoted by Sahara Reporters said that Senate President Godswill Akpabio played a central role in advancing Omokri’s nomination, allegedly as a form of political reward. However, Akpabio is now reported to be urging loyalists to oppose Omokri, arguing that the nominee’s past remarks could undermine Nigeria’s diplomatic posture.

Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West has emerged as the most visible opponent of the nomination. He has been contacting colleagues to reject Omokri, insisting that anyone who made such an allegation about the president should not be considered for a diplomatic role. His effort sparked intense debate in the senators’ WhatsApp group, prompting Ngwu — one of the group’s administrators — to disable responses after exchanges grew heated.

The decision to lock the group angered several lawmakers. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly challenged Ngwu, demanding that he reopen the platform and restore comments removed during the dispute. Her intervention intensified the confrontation, with senators accusing one another of attempting to control the internal conversation around the nomination.

Ngwu has stood by his position, stating that a nominee who has not retracted such a serious allegation should not represent Nigeria internationally. His stance has hardened resistance among opponents and deepened frustration among supporters of the nomination.

Despite the ongoing dispute, the Senate is expected to begin screening the ambassadorial nominees on Tuesday. The row adds to Omokri’s complex relationship with the current administration. Before the 2023 election, he was among Tinubu’s most vocal critics but later adjusted parts of his commentary after confirming Tinubu’s attendance at Chicago University. In a previously reported interview, he said he would never work with Tinubu, describing such a decision as incompatible with his personal principles.