The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the ambassadorial postings announced by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the move as a “complete diplomatic blunder.”
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said publicly announcing ambassadorial postings before securing the required agrément from host countries violates established diplomatic protocol and could expose Nigeria to international embarrassment.
The opposition party argued that announcing the appointments while still seeking approval from the receiving countries reflects a lack of understanding of basic diplomatic procedures by the ruling government.
Citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the ADC explained that under Article 4 of the convention, a sending state must first obtain the consent—known as agrément—of the receiving state before officially appointing or announcing a head of mission.
According to the statement, the process of requesting agrément is traditionally handled discreetly through diplomatic channels to avoid the embarrassment that may arise if a nominee is rejected.
“By announcing appointments while at the same time stating that consent is still being sought, the government has clearly demonstrated a misunderstanding of the basic principles of diplomatic engagement,” the party said.
The ADC also questioned why the government announced only 65 ambassadors for Nigeria’s roughly 109 diplomatic missions worldwide, leaving about 44 missions without designated envoys.
The party asked whether the remaining missions would remain vacant indefinitely while Nigeria’s diplomatic presence continues to shrink amid growing global uncertainty.
It further queried why the federal government reportedly took more than three months after Senate confirmation of the nominees before beginning the process of seeking agrément from host countries.
The opposition party warned that the delays and perceived confusion surrounding the appointments could weaken Nigeria’s presence in global diplomacy.
“With about 449 days left in office, the administration must recognise the urgency of ensuring that Nigeria is properly represented at the highest levels of international engagement,” the statement added.
ADC: Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Postings a Diplomatic Blunder
