A professor of International Relations at the University of Lagos, Professor Solomon Akinboye, on Tuesday, says posting of envoys should not be politicised.
Akinboye said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), compensated some persons who worked for his election and re-election into office in 2015 and 2019 respectively, hence, he didn’t prioritise career diplomats but rather prioritised politicians as non-career ambassadors.
This is coming amid claims by some Nigerians including the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, who accused the President of favouritism, nepotism as well as religious and ethnic bigotry.
The PUNCH had reported that that 52 non-career envoys and 43 career ambassadors were posted out by the President based on confirmation by the Senate.
Reacting, the don acknowledged that it is the president’s sole responsibility to appoint envoys but said the list ought to favour career ambassadors.
He said, “The onus is on the president to appoint whoever he wants to be an ambassador or a high commissioner. It is the president’s sole responsibility. But from the list that I saw, 52 non-career envoys and 43 career diplomats, it is biased in favour of non-career diplomats. This does not go well, as far as I am concerned, for the foreign service of the country.
“I am not saying that politicians should not be part of them because we are in a democratic political setting. The president himself is a politician. Some people worked for him when he was aspiring to be the president of the nation; as such, he has to compensate them since that is usually the case.
Some would be made, ministers, special adviser, chairmen of various agencies, and of course, ambassadors and high commissioners.
“So, I am not disputing the fact that politicians should be part of the list, but I am saying that career diplomats should form the largest number.”
The former Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos, mentioned the need for a reorganisation of Nigeria’s Foreign Service.
Akinboye said, “I have argued elsewhere that there is the need for a major reorganisation of Nigeria’s Foreign Service. My idea is that ambassadorial positions should no longer be politicised on the altar of expediency. It is being unnecessarily politicised, and this should not be the case, particularly in contemporary globalized environment.
“There is a need for us to ensure that more career diplomats and practitioners; those who understudy and understand the nuances of international relations and global politics should hold these positions.”
The professor noted that it was not wrong for politicians to become ambassadors but career diplomats should form the largest number because “those are the people that understand the nitty-gritty of diplomacy and who are sufficiently grounded in diplomatic practice.”
Source: The PUNCH