PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial appointments have climbed to 67 as political considerations shape the composition of Nigeria’s diplomatic corps rather than competence.
On Thursday, the Senate gave final approval to 64 ambassadorial nominees forwarded by the executive, completing its confirmation process. Of those cleared, 34 are career diplomats, while 30 are non-career ambassadors.
The career ambassadors confirmed include Arewa Esther (Oyo State), Adeola-Ibrahim Mopelola (Ogun), Ramat Omonbolale (Lagos), Monica Okechukwu Enebechi (Anambra), Adams Jane Basset (Cross River), Mohammed Lele (Bauchi) and Muhammad Dahiru (Kaduna), among others.
Those approved as non-career ambassadors include Ajimobi Florence (Oyo), Sulola Akande (Oyo), Uguwanyi Ifeanyi (Enugu), Ita Enang (Akwa Ibom), Femi Fani-Kayode (Osun), Jerry Manwe (Taraba), Reno Omokri (Delta), Ibas Ibok-Ette (Cross River), Abdulrahman Dambazzau (Kano) and Abas Braimah (Edo).
READ ALSO: Tinubu nominates Fani-Kayode, Omokri, Yakubu, Ikpeazu, Ugwuanyi for ambassadorial roles
The clearance of the 64 nominees follows the Senate’s earlier confirmation of three non-career ambassadors, bringing the total number of ambassadorial appointments approved by the upper chamber to 67.
Politics over competence
Political analysts have, however, dismissed the list, stating that the president appointed the individuals on the basis of politics rather than competence.
“It is on record that some of the individuals on the list have no job. No one can confidently say that this is what they are doing,” said a political analyst, Mr Ahmed Aliyu.
“Some of them are just expired ex-governors who did not do much for their people. They found themselves on the list because they betrayed their party to support Tinubu during the 2023 election.
“Some of them were picked because they suddenly started supporting President Tinubu on social media when the people they supported failed in the 2023 election. One of the individuals called President Tinubu a drug lord during the 2023 election and changed direction when he noticed that his boss’ path to presidency had become nearly impossible. I do not know whether one of the persons was picked because of the role he played in making Tinubu the president. These are the individuals on that list. They aren’t there because they are good nation- builders, but because they are supporters of President Tinubu.”
An Edo State-based politician scientist, Mr Simon Igiebor, echoed similar sentiments, wondering why the list should contain names of individuals with questions to answer to their people.
“Some of the governors are yet to account for their stewarships. One of the individuals on the list once told the world that he has short fuse. The same individual is always aggressively attacking opponents on social media. Another individual easily descends to ethnic fights on social media. Are these the people that will defend Nigeria abroad?” he asked.
How international pressure forced Tinubu’s hands
More than two years after President Bola Tinubu recalled all ambassadors in 2023, most of the country’s 109 diplomatic missions remain without substantive heads, prompting calls for swift and merit-based appointments, Economy Post gathered.
Mr Tinubu did not appoint ambassadors owing to lack of funds resulting from the non-implementation of 2024 and 2025 budgets.
Embassies and high commissions have been run by chargés d’affaires and senior mission officers, who are seen as lacking the political weight needed to handle complex international affairs.
However, President Donald Trump piled pressure on President Tinubu early last month by accusing Nigeria of encouraging Christian genocide.
READ ALSO: Trump appoints 2 U.S. legislators to lead investigation into ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria
He took two decisive decisions against Nigerian government’s inability to contain it. He first redesignated Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ and followed it up with a threat to cut off aid and invade the nation to “wipe out Islamic terrorists.” Two times, he classified Nigeria as a ‘disgraceful country’ and said the government wasn’t helping matters.
The development forced President Tinubu to hasten the appointment of ambassadors as their absence wasn’t helping his government’s image abroad.
“Donald Trump has forced President Tinubu to appoint ambassadors. We don’t have to wait for someone outside Nigeria to force us to what we must do,” said a politcal analyst, Mr Senastian Udughije, who spoke with Economy Post in an earlier interview.
“Also, I am not impressed with some of the people on that list. Some of them do not have jobs at the moment and may see this as a saving grace. You do not use critical offices like ambassadors to compensate individuals who have nothing to offer.”
