Appoint substantive ambassadors, ADC urges Tinubu

African Democratic Congress (ADC) has advised President Bola Tinubu to appoint and post substantive ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, gave the advice in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Abdullahi said that any further delay in appointing the ambassadors might affect Nigerians and the country’s foreign relations.

He recalled that since the recall of Nigeria’s 109 ambassadors from across the world in 2023, they have not been replaced.

This, according to him, has left Nigeria with no voice or quality representation when decisions affecting the country and Nigerians are being taken.

“A most recent consequence of this vacuum is the escalation of visa and other consular issues between Nigeria and the duo of the United States and UAE,” he said.

Abdullahi said that junior diplomats or charge de’affair could not take the place of ambassadors, as they were limited in access and recognition.

According to him, the delay in the appointment of substantive ambassadors has affected the quality of Nigeria’s engagement and relationships with the countries hosting our missions across the world.

He said that failure to act fast might make other countries to downgrade their representations in Nigeria by sending charge de’affairs as a form of protest, at a time that Nigeria needed to put its best foot forward in pursuit of economic diplomacy.

Abdullahi said that the delay was already affecting Nigerian students, workers and other professionals abroad.