An international affairs analyst, Adoyi Omale has raised concerns over President Tinubu’s newly released list of ambassadorial nominees, warning that political patronage in the appointments could damage Nigeria’s international image.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Dr. Omale said, “The most important thing is that all the people on the list are Nigerians. That is very instructive. They are Nigerians that have been in public service. The only snag which everybody is complaining about is that among 200 million people, we have more qualified persons that have not been named.
“We have more people that could enhance Nigeria’s image better who have been overlooked. I agree with most of the people criticizing the list that it was just laced with political patronage.”
He emphasised the need for integrity and professionalism in diplomatic appointments, noting that some nominees lack essential qualities.
“Diplomatic appointments are supposed to have certain key criteria, one of which is that you must appoint people of integrity, because if you don’t, you may not be able to adequately speak boldly about your country to the respect of the international community.
“These are attributes that diplomats are supposed to have, and some persons on the list lack some of these basic attributes, especially to head a diplomatic mission. It would be very embarrassing if some of these names are forwarded to certain countries and their agreements are withheld, requiring adjustments to postings.”
Omale clarified that political appointments themselves are not inherently wrong. “There’s nothing wrong with appointing non-career ambassadors to head diplomatic missions as ambassadors or high commissioners. It is the norm, the practice.
“But the idea is to have persons of high integrity and moral standing who can project the image of your country. Some persons on this list have been controversial, with past utterances and conduct that could harm Nigeria’s image rather than repair it.”
He also questioned the effectiveness of the Senate screening process for such nominees. “The Senate screening, to the best of my knowledge, has always been a mere formality. Most screenings have been take a bow and go.
“The Senate relies heavily on security agencies’ vetting. Ideally, a proper screening should examine whether these nominees can provide the right representation for Nigeria, especially considering some have unresolved corruption cases or questionable public conduct.”
Omale concluded that while the list contains experienced Nigerians, political considerations appear to outweigh merit and integrity, raising concerns over Nigeria’s diplomatic credibility abroad.
Boluwatife Enome
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