The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the administration of Bola Tinubu over the announcement of 65 ambassadorial postings, describing the move as a diplomatic misstep that could expose Nigeria to international embarrassment.
In a statement on Friday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said announcing ambassadorial appointments before obtaining the required agrément—formal consent from host countries—violates established diplomatic procedures under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
President Tinubu had earlier on Friday assigned 65 career and non-career ambassadors to various countries after weeks of anticipation.
Reacting to the development, the ADC questioned why the government had not addressed the remaining 44 diplomatic missions, noting that Nigeria operates 109 missions worldwide.
According to Abdullahi, announcing the postings publicly before receiving consent from host countries contradicts standard diplomatic protocol and could leave Nigeria vulnerable if any nominee is rejected.
He said that under Article 4 of the Vienna Convention, a sending state must first obtain the approval of the receiving state before officially appointing or announcing a head of mission. The process, he added, is traditionally handled through diplomatic channels to prevent potential embarrassment.
The ADC also criticised what it described as delays in the process, noting that the ambassadors had been confirmed by the Senate more than three months ago.
The party further expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding several key diplomatic missions, including Nigeria’s mission to the United States.
