Opposition Coalition ADC Blasts Tinubu’s Foreign Policy Stagnation as Nigeria Lacks Ambassadors in Key Countries

 

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has launched a scathing criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration over what it describes as a humiliating and dangerous failure to fill key ambassadorial positions. According to the party, Nigeria is currently without diplomatic representation in several strategic countries, notably the United States, and this neglect is harming the country’s international image and foreign policy effectiveness.

A statement released Friday by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the administration of showing gross irresponsibility in handling foreign relations. He emphasized that the vacant ambassadorial seat in Washington D.C. has only served to deepen Nigeria’s growing diplomatic isolation, especially following the latest travel advisory issued by the U.S. government.

The U.S. recently reclassified Nigeria as a Level 3 travel destination, urging its citizens to reconsider visiting the country due to security threats and a deteriorating healthcare system. For the ADC, the absence of a Nigerian ambassador in the capital of the world’s most influential nation at a time like this sends a troubling message.

According to Abdullahi, the Tinubu government’s handling of the situation displays a level of detachment from reality that is both concerning and disgraceful. The party believes that Nigeria is becoming increasingly voiceless in global affairs, and the consequences of this silence could be dire if not addressed promptly.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered no convincing explanation for the extended delay in filling ambassadorial posts. Instead, vague promises of merit-based appointments have been repeated without action, raising suspicions about the sincerity of the government’s intentions.

The ADC referenced recent leadership changes in five G7 countries, a crucial geopolitical group where Nigeria should be reinforcing its presence. Since the recall of ambassadors in October 2023, no concrete steps have been taken to send replacements, effectively leaving Nigeria absent from diplomatic discussions that could shape global trade, security cooperation, and health initiatives.

Observers in diplomatic circles have begun to raise eyebrows over Nigeria’s prolonged absence from international forums where key policies are debated and relationships are forged. Abdullahi argued that during Nigeria’s civil war, the country never allowed such a vacuum to exist in its foreign service, and it is therefore unacceptable for a peacetime government to show such little urgency.

The ADC accused the Tinubu administration of sidelining diplomacy in its national agenda, treating it as an afterthought rather than a pillar of governance. Abdullahi asserted that this failure has stripped Nigeria of both voice and visibility at a time when global reputation is essential to national development.

He also condemned the government’s habit of making excuses. “The administration cannot hide behind the cloak of reform while ignoring its basic duties,” he said. “Reform is not an excuse to become inactive. Leadership means making things happen, not watching them fall apart.”

The travel advisory from the U.S. also cited Nigeria’s inability to provide emergency medical services, a fact the ADC described as a damning indictment of the government’s priorities. Abdullahi lamented that Nigerians at home and abroad are left vulnerable and unsupported by a government that seems unprepared for the responsibilities it has taken on.

In its closing remarks, the ADC challenged President Tinubu to rise above excuses and face the task of governing a complex and dynamic country. The party called for immediate appointments to ambassadorial posts and a renewed commitment to restoring Nigeria’s international credibility.

Failure to act swiftly, the ADC warned, would deepen the nation’s diplomatic alienation and economic setbacks. As global challenges grow more interconnected, Nigeria cannot afford to remain silent and absent from the table where crucial decisions are made.

The opposition party concluded its statement with a stark reminder: leadership is not about intentions, but impact. For the world’s most populous Black nation, being invisible abroad and uncoordinated at home is not just embarrassing, it is dangerous.