Oshiomhole, Ndume clash at senate as Omokri faces ambassadorial screening

Lawmakers trade words over procedure, and past criticisms of Tinubu before nominee is cleared

A brief clash broke out on Thursday between Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, and Ali Ndume, his Borno south counterpart, during the screening of Reno Omokri, an ambassadorial nominee.

The exchange began when Ndume cautioned Oshiomhole for attempting to speak before a pending motion had been seconded.
“The procedure is that there is a motion on ground and it should be seconded. If it is not seconded, it is dead,” Ndume said.

Oshiomhole pushed back, insisting he needed to speak “in the public interest”, especially regarding Omokri, noting that “we cannot pretend we have not heard stories”.

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Ndume immediately countered: “You can’t work on stories; there is no petition before the committee. The senate is not a joke.”

Despite the friction, Oshiomhole later shifted to praise President Bola Tinubu, describing him as a pragmatic leader who looks beyond past criticisms, including those from Omokri.

“Tinubu is a pragmatist… he is not detained by old feelings or doubts,” Oshiomhole said. He added that Omokri had shown willingness to change his views once presented with “compelling evidence”.

Ndume interjected again, remarking that “governors come to senate. After being governors, you struggle to come to senate,” a comment understood as a jab at Oshiomhole’s political trajectory.

Committee chairman Sani Bello eventually called the senators to order and asked if either objected to Omokri’s nomination. They both said no.

Omokri was asked to take a bow and go.

The senate committee on foreign affairs earlier commenced the screening of non-ambassadorial nominees forwarded by the president.