The Presidency has debunked the list of ambassadorial nominees currently circulating as fake news.
Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dismissed the claims, emphasising the list’s inauthenticity.
“There is no official list as of today. There is a list in circulation. That is fake news. The foreign affairs list will still go through certain processes before it is released.
“Don’t forget that the ambassadorial list has two components. There are career ambassadors and political ambassadors. So, whichever one they submitted, it will still go through a long process,” Onanuga said on Tuesday.
Nigeria has 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates globally.
On September 2, 2023, President Tinubu recalled all career and non-career ambassadors operating the country’s diplomatic missions, embassies and consulates globally.
A statement by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed the recall of the ambassadors, saying: “Sequel to the inquiries on the letter recalling the Nigerian ambassador to the UK, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has clarified that all career ambassadors and non-career ambassadors have been recalled on the instructions of President Bola Tinubu.”
The envoys were directed to return to the country on or before October 31.
