APC tasks non-career ambassadors-designate on healthy external relations

All Progressives Congress(APC) has urged the newly appointed non-career ambassadors to ensure a good synergy between Nigeria and their countries of posting.

Gov. Mai Mala Buni, Chairman, APC Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) gave the charge on Monday in Abuja when the ambassadors paid him a courtesy call at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.

Buni, who is also the governor of Yobe, said that a healthy relationship between Nigeria and the international community would certainly contribute to the APC’s administration actualising its manifesto to improve the lives of the people.

He congratulated the ambassadors for the appointment, saying it was well deserved and should be used to project the image of Nigeria in a positive light.

“By this your new calling, you now have a new role in building relationships and projecting the image of Nigeria in a very positive light.

“You are coming at a time when the country is faced with some challenges, especially the security challenge,” he noted.

He, however, expressed confidence in the individual and collective capabilities of the ambassadors to continue to find solutions to the challenges facing the country and to strengthen the relations between Nigeria and their host countries.

Buni said that as a party, the APC was deeply concerned and interested in healthy relationships between Nigeria and the international community because of its attendant benefits.

He said that the APC would look forward to a very positive working synergy with the ambassadors in the interest of Nigeria and her citizens.

“On this note, I am happy to inform you that the party has agreed to set up a desk office for the purpose of liaising with the non-career ambassadors.

“In this regard, we request that you furnish the national secretariat with details of your coordinating secretariat.

“Similarly, the CECPC has approved your request to attend the National Convention,” Buni said.

He assured the ambassadors of the party’s continued support and cooperation at all times.

Earlier, Amb. Ominyi Nwannebuike, spokesman of the ambassadors, said that they were at the party’s secretariat to thank its leadership for the appointment and to inform them that they were set to leave for their countries of posting.

“We are happy to be here first as party chieftains in our respective domains and now as a body of Non-career Ambassadors.

“This is a job we take so seriously and we are here to further express our profound appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari and to our dear party, the APC.

“We are here to inform you that having been confirmed by the Senate, that we have further been issued with our respective letters of credence to herald departure to different countries of our primary assignment,” he said.

He said that the ambassadors were already poised to further support the APC-led Federal Government in providing good governance to the people.

Nwannebuike noted that in spite of the difficult times occasioned by global economic challenges, the President Buhari-led government was breaking new grounds in the provision of infrastructure that the country had lacked so much.

He assured that the ambassadors would remain committed to the party and its manifesto in spite of all challenges and shall continue to lend support to its leadership.

“We believe as a progressive family, our ability to discharge our duties will contribute to our collective aspirations in building strong bond between Nigeria and members of the International community,” he said.

He also appealed to the party’s leadership to continue to carry the ambassadors along through its affairs even while they were outside the country.

Nwannebuike stressed that distance should not be a barrier to active partisanship.

He urged the party’s leadership to ensure amicable resolution of the crisis in some of the party’s state chapters.

He noted that their appointment was a call to service, adding that they would serve the party with faithfulness and sincerity.