Nigeria risks isolation over envoy delay, ADC warns Tinubu
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that Nigeria risks diplomatic isolation if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fails to urgently appoint ambassadors to the country’s foreign missions.
In a statement on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the prolonged absence of accredited ambassadors as the longest in Nigeria’s history, calling it both “embarrassing” and “damaging” to the country’s global image.
“Junior diplomats cannot represent Nigeria. They lack the access and recognition necessary to protect our interests or influence critical decisions,” the ADC said. “If this embarrassing absence continues, other countries may begin to downgrade their diplomatic ties with Nigeria.”
The party noted that since President Tinubu recalled all 109 ambassadors in 2023, none have been replaced, leaving embassies without leadership at a time of growing international challenges.
Citing recent diplomatic tensions involving the United States and the United Arab Emirates, the ADC said the delay in appointments is already weakening Nigeria’s foreign relations and damaging its credibility abroad.
It further accused the government of politicizing ambassadorial postings, claiming the delay is due to internal wrangling over which political allies to reward with the positions.
The ADC also criticized the handling of a reported U.S. request for Nigeria to receive deported Venezuelans, saying the matter should have been addressed privately by an ambassador, not publicly by a cabinet minister.
The party urged President Tinubu to act swiftly, warning that failure to restore Nigeria’s diplomatic representation could deepen the country’s isolation at a time when it should be asserting greater influence globally.
