Nigerian Ambassadors and High Commissioners in numerous Foreign Missions look like on a collision course with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Yusufu Tuggar over the return date for the recalled diplomats.
Media Talk Africa stories that there was conflicting info on the return date of the recalled diplomats.
The Federal Government via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had on September 2, introduced the recall of the ambassadors and excessive commissioners and gave them up till October 31 to return dwelling.
However, the Ambassadors made passionate enchantment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for extension of the return date to December 31, to allow their wards take their promotion exams and consequently streamline the educational calendar in order to not truncate their schooling by dropping a 12 months.
The Ambassadors’ enchantment appeared to have acquired the President’s nod, just for the Foreign Affairs Minister, Tuggar, to announce final week that there was no such tenure extension for the ambassadors until December 31, insisting that the October 31 terminal date stays “sacrosanct”.
Irked by the Minister’s inflexible place and obvious lack of consideration for the tutorial plight of their kids, the ambassadors are reported to be prepared for a severe showdown.
The scenario is claimed to be made worse by the alleged monetary crunch being confronted by the international missions, together with threats by numerous service suppliers to take them to court docket for non-payment of service prices.
Sources from the Foreign Missions claimed that funding for the Missions because the final 5 months has been problematic.
The Ambassadors consequently raised alarm calling on President Tinubu to intervene earlier than your entire nation was embarrassed.
But because the information of the extension of the October deadline filtered into the media, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, not solely debunked the report however went additional to put embargo on the international Missions’ Accounts for what he described as “to check frivolous spending by the Ambassadors”.
The Minister in an announcement by his Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communication, Alkasim Abdulkadre claimed that there was no directive from the Presidency to increase the exit date of the Ambassadors.
But a supply near the Foreign Missions insisted, “the Minister cannot claim that there is no extension of the deadline and at the same time it was reported in various national reputable media outfits.”
Meanwhile the Ambassadors have queried the true intension of the Minister and why he seems to be in a rush to dispense with them even when it’ll take not lower than 4 to 6 months to switch them.
They are additionally fearful that the Minister in the stated assertion by his aide was quoted as saying that the Presidency was not satisfied on the excuse given to increase the keep of the Ambassadors.
The Ambassadors are due to this fact asking questions as as to if the schooling of their kids and wards, in addition to monetary chapter weren’t sufficient causes for such extension.
Other involved Nigerians who’ve been following the event have additionally weighed into the matter.
An International Relations Consultant, Dr. Bright lheme frowned on the disposition of the Minister in that regard, declaring that such assertion may imply direct accusation on Mr President.
Iheme, in a phone chat with Media Talk Africa correspondent, additional queried whether or not the presidency just isn’t actually bothered that the kids of over 109 Nigerian households will waste their full educational 12 months, whereas any accountable authorities locations premium considerations to the acceleration of its residents’ schooling.
He puzzled why Alhaji Tuggar, who was till his current appointment, an Ambassador, who must have deployed his weight of expertise in the administration of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in optimistic instructions, may place private ego above that of the nation which in line with him “runs contrary to the oath of allegiance which he swore to”.
Iheme additional famous that the Foreign Service Regulation offers three months discover to diplomats to wind up at publish when recalled however in the opposite two months was given to the Ambassadors and puzzled what might be his causes.
Meanwhile, observers strongly consider that the destiny of the Ambassadors now rests squarely on the political will of President Tinubu to think about their plight and weigh in decisively to stave off the upcoming embarrassment.
