President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will announce his ambassadors within the next few weeks.

This was 16 months after recalling all career and political ambassadors ambassadors representing Nigeria overseas.

Tinubu to announce ambassadors soon, says adviser Ademola Oshodi, a senior special adviser on foreign affairs and protocol to Tinubu, revealed this on Channels Television’s 2024 year-in-review programme on Sunday, December 29.

He faulted critics, defended the delay and noted that the previous administration under President Muhammadu Buhari took 20 months to appoint ambassadors.

He explained the role the Nigerian Senate led by Godswill Akpabio will play to achieve this.

“I believe in the next few weeks, there will be a pronouncement for the ambassadors, and steps will be taken by the Senate and accreditation to put them in place in their various missions around the world,” he said.

Tinubu is working to appoint Nigeria’s Ambassadors

Meanwhile, critics, including former Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Benin Republic, Lawrence Obisakin; and former Nigeria’s High Commissioner in Australia, Ayoola Olukanni, had expressed concern over the delay and emphasized the need for prompt appointments to ensure effective representation.

Legit.ng reported that in September 2023, President Tinubu recalled all Nigerian ambassadors, representing the country across the world just barely three months after his inauguration.

The minister of foreign affairs, Yusuf Tuggar announced the decision barely 24 hours after the president recalled Sarafa Isola, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK).

However, the president has yet to send a list of fresh ambassadors to the Senate for approval.

Reacting, Oshodi said his principal is working to ensure envoys are appointed and sent to foreign soils. The presidential aide said: “It is something that the President and his administration are focused on. As much as the ambassadors are key, I want to clearly state that even the last administration, without giving excuses, took 20 months for them to put ambassadors in place.”

Tinubu makes 17 appointments in Nigeria Embassies

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu approved the appointments of five new Chargé D’affaires and 12 Consuls General for Nigeria in 14 countries.

The announcement was disclosed by the presidency, quoting the minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and listed the names and portfolios of the 17 appointees.

Ambassador Tuggar was said to have been quoted to have urged the appointees to shun politics and be committed to their diplomatic callings.