A former Nigerian ambassador to Singapore, Ambassador Ogbole Amedu-Ode, has said that foreign countries delaying acceptance of Nigeria’s newly nominated ambassadors are merely taking a pragmatic approach to diplomacy in light of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Punch, Amedu-Ode backed reports that host nations may withhold agrément, the formal consent to an ambassador’s posting, due to concerns about the limited time remaining in President Bola Tinubu’s first term.
“The underlying word here is pragmatism. Those receiving states are just being pragmatic if they take that view because the next round of general elections is in a year from now, in February and March,” he explained.
Amedu-Ode said the hesitancy of host countries stems from legitimate diplomatic concerns about engaging representatives of a government with uncertain continuity.
He said, “The question is now about an envoy from a President who is facing an election in a year. Elections, no matter how we think we understand them, can go either way.
“So, why receive letters of credence from a principal envoy from a President who has just one year and some months remaining for his first term in office? So, they may dilly-dally in issuing an agrément.
“The way it usually plays out is that they may want to delay issuing an agrément for an incoming ambassador.”
The ex-diplomat did not mince words in criticising the Tinubu administration’s delay in nominating ambassadors, calling it a strategic blunder that could have been avoided.
“The mistake has been made by the current administration already because they shouldn’t have waited two to three years into their term before nomination, screening, and deployment of heads of missions,” he said.
Amedu-Ode noted that standard diplomatic practice dictates that agrément should be sought before publicly announcing ambassadorial postings to prevent public embarrassment if a nominee is rejected.
He added, “Technically speaking, when nominations are made, it is typical for the ministry to request agrément from the receiving states before announcing ...ing. That way, in case an envoy is rejected, it does not become an embarrassment.”