Delayed Envoy Appointments Hurting Nigeria’s Global Image, ADC Warns Tinubu

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a scathing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, warning that the prolonged failure to appoint substantive ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions is severely damaging the nation’s global image and diplomatic standing.

In a statement released on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC lamented that Nigeria has been operating without fully accredited ambassadors since President Tinubu recalled all 109 envoys in September 2023. This diplomatic vacuum, the party argued, marks “the longest Nigeria has gone without ambassadors in its foreign missions” and reflects a “troubling misunderstanding of what it takes to govern a country as important as Nigeria.”

“If this embarrassing absence is allowed to persist, other countries may begin to downgrade their representation in Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigerians — especially those abroad — will suffer the consequences,” Abdullahi stated.

The ADC highlighted several negative impacts of this delay:

• Diplomatic Vacuum: The absence of ambassadors leaves Nigeria without high-level representation in crucial global forums where key decisions affecting the country are made, particularly concerning trade, security, and international partnerships.
• Weakened Bilateral Relations: The party noted that the diplomatic vacuum has already begun to strain Nigeria’s relations with key partners like the United States and the United Arab Emirates, specifically citing worsening issues related to visas and consular services for Nigerian citizens.
• Reduced Influence: Junior diplomats and chargés d’affaires, while managing routine matters, lack the access, recognition, and authority to fully represent Nigeria’s interests abroad. This diminishes Nigeria’s voice in global discussions.
• Morale Decline: The morale among Nigerian foreign service professionals is reportedly at an all-time low due to the prolonged uncertainty and the perception of their missions becoming “a sorry symbol of a country that no longer takes itself seriously.”
• Economic Opportunities Missed: The ADC asserted that while other nations are actively forging alliances, negotiating trade deals, and securing investments, Nigeria is “not in the room” dueading to missed opportunities for economic advancement.

The ADC also pointed to a recent “diplomatic blunder” involving the Nigerian government’s public response to a US request to receive deported Venezuelan nationals. The party criticized the Foreign Minister’s handling of the matter on a prime-time television show, deeming it “reckless and undiplomatic.”

In a counter-argument, Dr. Josef Onoh, a former Southeast spokesman to President Tinubu, dismissed the ADC’s claims as “misleading and alarmist.” He contended that Nigeria’s foreign engagements remain uninterrupted under the capable leadership of experienced career diplomats serving as chargés d’affaires. Onoh defended Tinubu’s 2023 recall of ambassadors as a “bold and necessary” step to realign Nigeria’s diplomatic priorities, stressing that the administration is meticulously selecting “strategic representatives” focused on economic diplomacy rather than mere political patronage.

Despite this defense, the ADC concluded its statement by urging President Tinubu to “act without delay” to appoint competent ambassadors and restore dignity and effectiveness to Nigeria’s crucial diplomatic missions, emphasizing that Nigeria cannot afford to remain absent on the global stage any longer.