A former Nigerian External Affairs Minister, and Professor of Political Science, Bolaji Akinyemi, has called for urgent appointments into vacant ambassadorial positions.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday, Prof. Akinyemi stressed the importance of filling these posts without delay.
“I believe credible appointments should be made to the vacant ambassadorial posts. We need to fill them,” he said.
He argued that, despite internet access to information, diplomacy still requires personal ambassadorial contact.
“The absence of ambassadors does not deny us information. But diplomacy runs on ambassadorial contact, the interaction between governments and ambassadors,” he noted.
Akinyemi added that ambassadors should return to their posts as soon as possible.
Commenting on the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), Akinyemi faulted President Bola Tinubu’s decision to delegate Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to him, Tinubu, not Shettima, should have addressed world leaders.
“I don’t think we need to make much ado about the absence of President Tinubu. He (Tinubu) is more interested in transactional foreign policy that will bring in investment,” he said.
