“Tinubu Playing With Fire: U.S. Congress Told Nigeria’s New Ambassadors Are ‘A Cover-Up Squad’”
By Passman Akpos
In a fiery statement that is already stirring diplomatic conversations, U.S.-based advocate Mike Arnold has sharply criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest ambassadorial appointments, calling them a “BIG mistake” that could worsen Nigeria’s already fragile international image.
Speaking from Washington, D.C., where he is currently meeting with top U.S. congressmen involved in shaping President Donald Trump’s Africa engagement policy, Arnold revealed that American legislators are increasingly skeptical of Tinubu’s willingness—or ability—to address Nigeria’s spiraling insecurity, including persistent violence, mass displacement, and rampant kidnappings.
According to Arnold, Tinubu’s newly announced envoys have been selected not for competence or credibility, but for their “zeal in denying atrocities,” an approach he argues will only deepen U.S. mistrust.
“By specifically appointing dishonest people solely for their zeal in denying the atrocities, he shows that his only intention is to cover it up and deflect attention,” Arnold said. “Every move he makes makes that more obvious. These appointments are the icing on the cake.”
He went further, delivering one of his most blistering rebukes yet of the Nigerian president:“Like I said, he’s not only tone-deaf. He is deaf, dumb, and blind. He has no idea about the scrutiny they are under and how to deal with it. And he’s dealing with it in all the wrong ways.”
Arnold’s remarks—tagged with the hashtag #EarthShaker—come at a moment when Nigeria’s diplomatic posture is under intense foreign observation and when questions surrounding human rights, unaddressed killings, and internal instability have taken center stage in U.S.–Nigeria policy discussions.
Whether Tinubu’s administration will respond to these concerns remains to be seen, but analysts warn that Washington’s growing skepticism could shape bilateral relations in the months ahead.
