Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Algeria, Mohammed Mabdul, has said that countries with strong diplomatic ties to Nigeria are unlikely to reject President Bola Tinubu’s recently nominated ambassadors, despite concerns about short tenures ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking with Sunday Punch, Mabdul said diplomacy is largely reciprocal, and that as long as Nigeria maintains cordial relations, most receiving countries will grant agrément.
He said, “The thing is that the receiving government will not have an issue as long as it is a friendly government, since the issues of diplomacy are often reciprocal.
“The way you treat the receiving country is the way they will treat you too when you are sending yours. They tend to be very careful to ensure that, as long as there is no drastic problem in the request, they will approve it, especially in countries that are very friendly to Nigeria.
“Even if there were side complaints, it would not be in a manner that would warrant a rejection.”
Mabdul, however, drew a clear distinction between career diplomats and political appointees, noting that the latter are more likely to face logistical and performance-related challenges, especially with elections less than a year away.
He explained, “We have two categories of appointees, career and political appointees. For career ambassadors, that is their job. They can move at any time. They can be redeployed. It is their career.
“Once you are a career officer, you are part of the diplomatic arrangement. So, there would be no issue there.”
Mabdul warned that political appointees, due to their short runway before the next electoral cycle, may struggle to make a meaningful impact in their host countries.
He further stated, “The political appointees are the problem. Once received and accredited, they are usually expected to remain for two to three years. But with the next election in just a year now, there is the possibility that they may start returning to participate in campaigns.
“They may not be able to settle down and do their work before another election cycle would start.”
He added that even if political appointees are recalled after the general elections, the process is unlikely to be immediate.
Mabdul said, “After the election, they will remain there until handover. And even if they are recalled, they will be given three months to leave.”