The Senate has risen in defence of one of President Bola Tinubu’s career ambassadors-designate, Emmanuel Adeyemi, following the controversy that trailed his screening over his inability to name all three senators from Ekiti State.

The incident occurred during the screening of career nominees by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, when Adeyemi momentarily struggled to recall the name of one of the three Ekiti senators, triggering sharp criticism from some lawmakers.

Reacting to the backlash on Monday, the Senate Spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, urged Nigerians not to blow the issue out of proportion, describing the episode as a minor lapse that could happen to anyone under pressure.

Adaramodu disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH.

“These are career ambassadorial nominees. The particular nominee you spoke about is from my own senatorial position. At least, you heard him mention my name among the Ekiti senators he knows. That means he knew me,” he said.

He explained that the intense atmosphere of the screening could easily unsettle nominees, even experienced public servants.

“Again, when you are under that kind of stress resulting from the questioning, definitely, you are bound to miss out on one thing. And so, if somebody scores 66.7 per cent, do you crucify that person?

“That is not to say he doesn’t even know his immediate representative, which is me,” he added.

The Senate spokesman stressed that Adeyemi’s long-standing relationship with him underscored the fact that the lapse was not due to ignorance.

“He knows me personally and has been to my office several times. These are not really issues. It is like suddenly asking someone tense the name of the Ghana president. He might not know or remember,” Adaramodu said.

According to him, the nominee’s focus during the screening was understandably on his constituency representative.

“Again, what concerns him at the moment has to do with his constituency. That is me. In his case, he missed out on only one senator. Why should we make a fuss out of it? Again, he is a career, not political, ambassador,” he said.

Adaramodu also highlighted Adeyemi’s years of service in the foreign service, insisting that his credentials should not be overshadowed by the slip.

“He is not even a fresher because he has been in active service and served Nigerians for so many years as a career officer, under secretary, and admin officer in our foreign missions,” he added.

The controversy followed a dramatic moment at the screening when Adeyemi, a deputy director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was asked to name the three senators representing Ekiti State.

While he confidently mentioned Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator Yemi Adaramodu, he struggled to recall the third senator, Cyril Fasuyi, prompting visible displeasure from some members of the panel.

Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong had condemned the lapse, warning that nominees representing Nigeria abroad must demonstrate basic political awareness, a position supported by Senators Adams Oshiomhole and Seriake Dickson. Others, including Senator Yunus Akintunde, however, appealed for leniency.

Adeyemi is one of three ambassadors-designate from Ekiti State submitted by President Tinubu, alongside Erelu Angela Adebayo and Olumilua Oluwayemika. (The PUNCH)

Update news