No Ambassadors Not Affecting Nigeria – Tuggar

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maitama Tuggar, has said President Bola Tinubu would appoint ambassadors when he deemed it fit.

Tuggar said the absence of ambassadors in the country’s foreign missions has not affected the operation of the missions across the globe.

In an interview with Arise News, he explained that Nigeria’s 109 missions across the globe run effectively and efficiently.

He stated that ambassadors are one out of the diplomats who work in the nation’s foreign missions. He assured that the President would appoint ambassadors soon.

“First of all, I’m not the one empowered to appoint ambassadors; it’s the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and he would do so when he deems fit. It does not mean that our missions are not running or operating.

“We have 109 missions consisting of embassies as well as consulates around the world. In all of these missions, you have diplomats of different ranks, also immigration officers, and so on,” he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also clarified that the President’s foreign policy was not different from what the Constitution stipulated.

He dismissed the idea that the administration’s policy could be skewed along the President’s preferences.

“The foreign policy objectives are enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Nigeria. That has nothing to do with any party manifesto or any individual agenda. It is something that is cast in the Constitution.

“First of all, our national interest, our place in Africa, and Africa’s unity and cooperation with other African countries, then our commitments on the international stage, treaty obligations, and economic considerations. These are the things we consider Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives,” he stated.

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and United Nations (UN)

Tuggar addressing the challenges facing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) headed by President Tinubu, particularly as it concerned the withdrawal of Niger Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali, said efforts were on to manage the situation.

Recall that Naijaonpoint reported that ECOWAS’ Authority of Heads of State and Government in its December 2024 meeting in Abuja Nigeria gave the three countries six months to finalize their return to the West Africa bloc or withdraw formally.

The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that the three countries remain significant to the bloc. He, however, assured that solutions were being worked out.

“It’s significant, but it doesn’t mean that’s the end of ECOWAS. You have to look at factors—what brought us to this point? It is not something that was created by Nigeria. It is not out of any action that Nigeria took. Nigeria wasn’t part of the G5 or Operation Barkhane. So, what we are trying to do now is to resolve those problems. Don’t forget Nigeria is not a French colony,” he stated.

Speaking on Nigeria’s demand for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, he explained that positive responses have been coming. He added that Nigeria would continue her advocacy.

“Whether we are working on it, you can see Nigeria’s advocacy when Nigeria lent its voice to that.

“The US came out and said, ‘We are fully in support of Africa getting two permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council’. This impact is due to the diplomatic footwork of Nigeria, of course, along with other countries,” he added.