The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the recent posting of 65 ambassadors by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the move as inadequate and raising concerns about Nigeria’s diplomatic representation abroad.
President Tinubu had approved the deployment of 65 ambassadors-designate and high commissioners to Nigeria’s diplomatic missions around the world, nearly three months after the Senate confirmed the nominees.
The postings, announced by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, include 34 non-career and 31 career diplomats assigned to countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, as well as multilateral organisations such as the United Nations.
Reacting to the development, the ADC said the decision to announce only 65 ambassadorial postings out of Nigeria’s 109 diplomatic missions raised serious questions about the government’s foreign policy direction.
The party queried why the remaining 44 missions were left without ambassadors despite the confirmations by the Senate months earlier.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that leaving several missions vacant could weaken Nigeria’s diplomatic presence globally at a time of growing international uncertainty.
He asked what would happen to the remaining missions and whether they would remain unfilled indefinitely.
However, some former diplomats defended the President’s decision, saying the deployment of ambassadors falls within the constitutional powers of the President.
A former Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu‑Ode, described the postings as long overdue but necessary to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement with other countries.
Another former envoy, Rasheed Akinkuolie, also noted that although the postings came later than expected, filling the missions was important for restoring Nigeria’s diplomatic operations and maintaining bilateral relations with other nations.
