Bosun Tijani, a ministerial candidate, was criticized by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari of Oyo North Senatorial District on Saturday for a divisive tweet he sent more than four years prior.
When Tijani appeared before the Senate on Saturday for screening—one of President Bola Tinubu's 48 nominees for ministerial positions—the senator questioned him.
“On the 21st of July 2019, Dr Bosun tweeted against Nigeria that he does not appreciate the Nigerian passport and Nigeria as a nation,†the Oyo Senator said after 46-year-old Tijani, an Information Technology expert, read his profile to the lawmakers.
The candidate was questioned by the congressman about if he still supported Nigeria and its passport.
However, in his speech before the Senate, Tijani declared his love and dedication for Nigeria and his commitment to its advancement. The candidate said that his angry interaction with the Chinese Embassy was the reason behind his post.
“I tweeted in anger,†the ministerial nominee from Ogun State admitted.
Tijani was promptly defended by Senator Ishaku Abbo of the Adamawa North Senatorial District, who claimed that the nominee tweeted out of a mix of frustration and love for Nigeria.
Additionally, the candidate from his state was defended by Senator Solomon Adeola of Ogun West Senatorial District, who claimed that his "youthful exuberance" and "shortcoming" should be overlooked.
Tijani has the potential to use his abilities to advance Nigeria's IT industry, according to Adeola, who criticized the nomination, adding that the baby shouldn't be tossed out with the bathwater..
Tijani’s prolonged tough moment was not yet over before the lawmakers as the Senate Minority Leader representing Plateau North Senatorial District, Simon Mwadkwon, read another “non-patriotic†tweet by Tijani which was posted sometimes in 2021.
Similarly, Senate Majority Leader representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Opeyemi Bamidele, described Tijani as an “EndSARS protesterâ€.
In October 2020, Bamidele claimed that his daughter had also protested against extrajudicial killings and police brutality.
He declared that Tijani shouldn't be haunted because he was attempting to speak for his generation.
According to the Senate Leader, Tinubu desires to collaborate with young individuals like Tijani to synchronize their thoughts for the benefit of the nation.
Bamidele begged his colleagues to forgive the nominee after encouraging youths to take lessons from Tijani's predicament.
After that, the nominee issued an apology for his contentious tweets, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio later declared that his apologies had been accepted.
“We are all fathers and we cannot throw the baby away with the bath water…On behalf of the Senate, I want to accept your apology,†Akpabio said and asked the nominee to take a bow.