The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described as embarrassing, the absence of accredited ambassadors to the 109 Nigerian missions abroad.
ADC in a statement by the interim National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, noted that since President Bola Tinubu recalled Nigeria’s 109 ambassadors from across the world in 2023, the country has no representation when decisions were taken that affect the country and her citizens abroad.
The party blamed this on the escalation of visa and other consular issues between Nigeria, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“Yet, the government has failed to demonstrate any urgency to remedy this embarrassing situation,” the statement added.
It told the president that junior diplomats or charge de affair cannot take the place of ambassadors as they are limited in access and recognition.
According to the ADC, the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to appoint ambassadors has affected the quality of the nation’s engagement and relationships with the host countries, and warned that “if the government does not act fast to remedy this situation other countries may also start to downgrade their representation in Nigeria to the level charge de affairs as a form of protest at a time that Nigeria needs to put her best foot forward in pursuit of economic diplomacy.”
The party regretted that while other countries were busy forming alliances, negotiating trade deals, and securing investment agreements for their nations, Nigeria is not in the room, “because we have no high-level diplomatic representation in our missions across the world.
“While the rest of Africa asserts its presence in Washington, Beijing, and Moscow, Nigeria is stuck in neutral, unable even to introduce ourselves.
“While the Tinubu administration takes its sweet time to decide which cronies to reward with ambassadorial postings, Nigerians abroad, from our students to our workers and other professionals, are left to suffer all manners of indignity.”
ADC further regretted that Nigeria’s diplomatic missions have become sorry symbol, as consular services have become weaker while the morale among foreign service professionals is at it lowest.
The party stated that President Tinubu’s reaction to the reported United States government’s request to Nigeria to receive Venezuelan deportees is a major indication of the administration’s diplomatic incompetence, which it said, could have been avoided if the country had an ambassador in Washington.
ADC said while it is ready to support the government’s position on this matter, “we are appalled that the foreign affairs minister could so recklessly express Nigeria’s position on prime-time TV show.
“Such sensitive diplomatic communications with an important and powerful partner like the United States could have been handled with greater discretion.
“But then, this is a government that has favoured showiness over thoughtful policies.
“President Tinubu should appoint ambassadors now to save Nigeria any further foreign policy embarrassment.”
