The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for publicly announcing only 65 of Nigeria’s 109 ambassadorial appointments, describing the move as a diplomatic misstep that risks international embarrassment and exposes weaknesses in the government’s handling of foreign relations.
In a statement released on Friday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi noted that revealing ambassadorial postings before securing the mandatory agrément from host countries—as required under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations—could compromise Nigeria’s diplomatic standing.
President Tinubu assigned 65 career and non-career ambassadors to various countries worldwide, but the ADC questioned the silence on the remaining 44 missions that still lack representatives.
The party argued, “Announcing appointments before obtaining host country approval reflects a lack of understanding of basic diplomatic protocol. The Vienna Convention stipulates that consent must first be sought before a head of mission is officially appointed or publicly announced. Bypassing this process exposes the sending country to unnecessary embarrassment if nominations are rejected.”
ADC also highlighted prior errors, including the public announcements of ambassadorial postings to the UK, US, and France last year, and sending an unscreened envoy to Turkey, cautioning that the current administration appears more responsive to political pressure than strategic foreign policy considerations.
The party further raised concerns over Nigeria’s incomplete diplomatic representation, asking why 44 missions remain vacant and whether these positions will stay unfilled amid rising global uncertainty. ADC warned that failure to address these gaps could undermine Nigeria’s role in international affairs and tarnish its global image.
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