The recent nomination of ambassadors-designate by President Muhammadu Buhari causes unease which ought to be resolved in line with the Vienna Convention on ambassadorial postings, writes SAM NWOKORO
The posting of ambassadors is a delicate task that must be done with utmost care, for the country to derive maximum benefits from its diplomatic corps. This is more so given the nation’s desire for international community’s understanding of its domestic worries.
Nigeria is bedraggled by fundamentalists-inspired insurgency which has created refuge crises amid shortage of food. Though government officials claim that the insurgents have been decimated, the country has not, in the real sense, terminally crippled the insurgents.
Again, militant groups pushing for more fundamental agenda such as restructuring of the country’s fiscal federalism have disrupted the country’s crude export and revenue derivatives by destroying oil pipelines. The economy is reportedly in recession, according to the country’s by state’s main economic managers and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Foreign reserves do not currently inspire confidence that the country can exit any predicted recession quickly as the scenario is being painted. More troubling is that the naira is cascading down to uselessness, with the attendant inflation spiralling up to a score. Macroeconomic projections to reflate the economy in the 2016 budget are crawling due to shortage of funds, and the President himself has raised the alarm.
Besides, even the mere exit of Britain, Nigeria’s major economic partner, from the European Union (EU) is reportedly affecting Nigeria’s commerce in the private levels somehow. With all these, President Muhammadu Buhari needs to be extremely careful about the quality and capability of those he chooses as Nigeria’s ambassadors in foreign lands.
The worries
According revelations emanating from the seat of power, there is furore over the posting of some ambassadors. A news report had it that up to 20 senior officials of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have petitioned Buhari that there was nepotism and favouritism in the selection of prospective ambassadors by a committee he set up for the task. According to the report, 20 directors of the ministry petitioned the President and Senate President Bukola Saraki, saying that the 47 prospective ambassadors drawn up by a former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, did not satisfy the principles of Federal Character, a regional balancing principle guiding appointments into Nigerian public offices. They also complained about some protocol lapses in the presentation of the ambassadorial list to the Senate without the courtesy of making it known to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, whose duty it was to coordinate the activities of Office of Chief of Staff and Secretary to Government of the Federation. There was reported lopsidedness in the selection.
According to the allegations, states like Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Ondo and Sokoto were completely ignored, while Borno had three, and Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano and Katsina have two each.
“Selection of 10 out of 47 from the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) violates Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. The reported posting of ambassadors from Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi and Lagos states were also done inappropriately,” the petition alleged.
However, on June 12, 2016, the Senate through its Chairman on Media and Publicity, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the list was not correct.
In the statement, Abdulahi said: “Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, read the contents of the communication on the nominations as forwarded by President Buhari and as demanded by its rule.
“The letter from the President only listed the ambassador nominees without any indication of whether any of them is from NIA or other agencies. The Senate President read the letter as demanded by the rule of the Senate.
“The only other letter that came on the issue was to correct the fact that the name of one of the nominees was mentioned twice on the list. If anybody is looking for fault on the reading of the list, that person should look elsewhere and far from the Senate.
“In fact, the Senate leadership has been informed that the list usually does not distinguish who and who is from the NIA until during the period of the screening when the Minster of Foreign Affairs comes to the Senate to provide information on who is who. This is another indication of the news medium trying to find faults and malign the character of individuals unjustly. It is also a demonstration of its penchant for stoking fire of disagreement between the executive and the legislature.
“We use this opportunity to call on journalists to demonstrate more caution, sensitivity and sense of responsibility in reporting issues that border on national security and international image,” he said.
Reactions
Concerns were however over the non-inclusion of candidates from Bayelsa, Plateau, Ondo and Ebonyi states on the list of ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the Senate for screening by Buhari.
This follows the presentation of report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs by the Deputy Chairman, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central) where it was revealed that the process of nominating career ambassadors by Buhari was duly taken into consideration, pointing out that the affected states actually did not meet the criteria.
Sani emphasised that contrary to public outcry that the four states were marginalised, the SGF honoured the invitation of Senate committee and cleared the air.
Criteria for appointment of Ambassadors, he noted, are based on “federal character, seniority in the service of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gender equality, specialisation, relevance and competence”.
He further asserted that excluded states stand to benefit from appointment of non-career ambassadors; hence there was no need for further issues.
Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye (APC, Osun Central), recalled that he was part of those who received petitions from those who felt aggrieved that their states were not reflected, but explained that the findings of the committee as presented showed the lack of truth on the part of the petitioners.
He urged the Senate to increase women’s slot to 40 per cent, saying that 12 out of 47 is not up to 40 per cent in line with affirmation action of gender equality.
TheNiche gathered during the week that the screening of the ambassadorial nominees will soon kick off, in a matter of days, though the Senate had proceeded on break.
Similarly, the president also appointed Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as the designated Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
List of nominees
1. Obinna Chukwuemeka Agbugba (Abia)
2. Salisu Umaru (Adamawa)
3. Inyan Udo-Inyang (Akwa Ibom)
4. Okeke Vivian Nwunaku (Anambra)
5. Liman Munir (Bauchi)
6. Ndem Jane Ada (Benue)
7. Mohammed Hassan Hassan (Borno)
8. Martin Nyong Cobham (Cross River)
9. Janet Omoleegho Olisa (Delta)
10. Itegboje S. Sunday (Edo)
11. Olatunde Adesesan (Ekiti)
12. Lilian Ijeukwu Onoh (Enugu)
13. Manaja Tula Isah (Gombe)
14. Ngozi Ukaeje (Imo)
15. Bello Kazaure Huessini (Jigawa)
16. Enoch Pear Duchi (Kaduna)
17. Garba Baba (Kano)
18. Usman Bakori Aliyu (Katsina)
19. Umar Zainab Salisu (Kebbi)
20. Momoh Sheidu Omeiza (Kogi)
21. Kadiri Ayinla Audu (Kwara)
22. Balogun Hakeem (Lagos)
23. Inusa Ahmed (Nasarawa)
24. Ibrahim Isah (Niger)
25. Bankole Adegboyega Adeoye (Ogun)
26. Ibidapo-Obe Oluwasegun (Osun)
27. Ogundero Sakirat (Oyo)
28. Eric A. Bell-Gam (Rivers)
29. Attahiru Halliru (Sokoto)
30. Rahmatu A. Dunama (Taraba)
31. Musa Saban Mamman (Yobe)
32. Kabiru Bala (Zamfara)
33. Adamu Onoze Shuaibu (FCT)
34. Demenongu A. Agev (Benue)
35. Toko Ali Gongulong (Borno)
36. Ibrahim Hamza (Katsina)
37. Kenneth C. Nwachukwu (Imo)
38. Queen I. Worlu (Edo)
39. Emmanuel Kayode Oguntause (Ekiti)
40. Paragould Ilyasu Audu (Adamawa)
41. Lawan Abba Gashagar (Borno)
42. Olufemi Abikoye (Kwara)
43. Habu Abubakar Gwani Ibrahim (Gombe)
44. Rabiu Akawu (Kano)
45. Nonye Udo (Anambra)
46. Odeka Janet Bisong (Cross River)
47. Sonaike Adekunbi Abibat (Ogun)
