Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, has criticised some of President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees, accusing them of hypocrisy for accepting appointments despite previously using harsh and abusive language against the president.

Reacting on X on Thursday, Moghalu said he was shocked by the conduct of some nominees, noting that their past comments about Tinubu were inconsistent with their current willingness to serve in his administration.

“I am chilled to the bones when I see what some of today’s @officialABAT ambassadorial nominees have written and said about him in the past,” he wrote.

While stressing that he had no political bias for or against the president, Moghalu said political disagreements were normal, but extreme personal attacks followed by acceptance of appointments raised questions about character.

“It’s quite OK to disagree with people politically and even on principle, and perhaps later on have a change of mind. But the kind of EXTREME, personally abusive and invective-loaded language these people have used to describe a human being, and then later on turn around and accept crumbs from the subject of the abuse, is staggering!” he said.

He added that individuals who had taken such positions should stand by them instead of reversing themselves for political gain. 

“At least, if you feel that strongly not just about issues, but about a person, then stay on your lane, for God’s sake!” he said.

Moghalu described the conduct as a reflection of the nominees’ values rather than Tinubu’s, arguing that political convenience should not override integrity. 

“To go to such extremes just because of fleeting political opposition (or ‘crumbflakes’ dropping at the moment) and then eat your own vomit speaks far more, I think, about the speaker or the writer than about the person spoken of or written of,” he said.

His remarks come as President Tinubu forwarded 65 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. The list contains 34 career diplomats and 31 non-career nominees. 

Among them are Sulu-Gambari Olatunde Ahmed (Kwara), Segun Ige (Edo), former senators Folasade Grace Bent (Adamawa), Solomon Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom) and Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo).

Vanguard News