The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed recent criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the delayed appointment of ambassadors to Nigerian missions abroad, calling the remarks “baseless” and “politicised”.
In a statement released on Sunday, Bolaji Abdullahi, interim national publicity secretary of the ADC, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s failure to name ambassadors, arguing that the prolonged delay has “affected the quality of engagement and relationships with the host countries of Nigerian missions”. He cited visa policy changes from the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as evidence of deteriorating diplomatic ties due to the absence of appointed envoys.
Responding on Tuesday, the special assistant on media and communications strategy to the minister of foreign affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir, strongly refuted the ADC’s claims. He said the criticisms stemmed from “political impatience” and ignored the president’s ongoing efforts to overhaul the foreign service.
“The delay in appointments of ambassadors is owed to Tinubu’s comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s foreign service architecture to ensure that future ambassadorial appointments reflect not only political balance but also merit, competence, and integrity,” Abdulkadir explained.
He emphasised that, “The appointment of ambassadors is not a haphazard exercise to satisfy political impatience or party quotas. It is a sovereign function, guided by rigorous considerations, national security priorities, and the strategic interests of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It requires extensive consultation, vetting, and bilateral clearance with host countries.”
Reinforcing the administration’s resolve to end the era of political patronage, Abdulkadir added: “The days of posting envoys as political rewards without requisite diplomatic experience or strategic fit are over.”
He further noted that Nigeria remains diplomatically represented at all missions through chargés d’affaires, who continue to carry out essential diplomatic duties in the absence of officially appointed ambassadors.
The ministry urged the ADC to refrain from casting aspersions on Nigeria’s diplomats, warning that such comments risk undermining the credibility and professionalism of the country’s foreign service.
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