The Federal Government has defended the two-year delay in appointing ambassadors to Nigerian missions abroad, describing criticisms from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “baseless” and a deliberate attempt to politicise the country’s foreign policy.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said the delay was part of President Bola Tinubu’s effort to reform Nigeria’s foreign service and ensure that future ambassadorial appointments are based on merit, competence, and national interest.
This response came after Bolaji Abdullahi, interim national publicity secretary of the ADC, had accused the President of weakening Nigeria’s international relations by leaving several diplomatic missions without substantive ambassadors.
Abdullahi cited strained relations with the United States and the United Arab Emirates as evidence of the consequences of the vacancies.
But Abdulkadir dismissed the claims as politically motivated, insisting that Tinubu’s administration is prioritising a strategic overhaul of the foreign service to eliminate political patronage in appointments.
“The appointment of ambassadors is not a haphazard exercise to satisfy political impatience or party quotas,” the statement read.
“It is a sovereign function, guided by rigorous considerations, national security priorities, and the strategic interests of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He added that all Nigerian missions remain operational and are currently being managed by chargés d’affaires, pending the conclusion of vetting and consultations with host countries.
Reacting to ADC’s criticism of Minister Tuggar’s recent comments rejecting the deportation of Venezuelan prisoners from the U.S., Abdulkadir described the ADC’s interpretation as “uninformed” and reflective of a poor grasp of modern diplomacy.
“There was no diplomatic faux pas in the public articulation of Nigeria’s stance,” he said. “In the age of open diplomacy, public communication is part of soft power. Communicating Nigeria’s sovereign position is not recklessness; it is accountability.”
He said the minister’s position on the Venezuelan deportees was principled and aimed at protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and national image on the global stage.
Abdulkadir warned the ADC and other political actors against weaponising foreign policy for political gains, stressing that the country’s international credibility should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan interests.
“Nigeria’s diplomacy must be guided by strategy and substance, not opportunistic soundbites,” he stated. “The reforms underway are to ensure that only qualified, competent individuals represent Nigeria abroad.”
The row underscores ongoing tensions between the federal government and opposition parties over the pace and direction of foreign policy decisions under the Tinubu administration.
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