President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has cancelled the posting of an ambassadorial nominee to Turkey, clarifying that no ambassador has been appointed to Ankara despite an earlier announcement suggesting otherwise.
The clarification came on Friday, hours after the Presidency initially announced the posting of former Kebbi State Governor, Usman Dakingari, as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Turkey.
Earlier in the week, President Tinubu had approved the posting of four ambassador-designates from a pool of more than 60 nominees confirmed by the Senate last December. However, the Presidency has now confirmed only three appointments, effectively leaving the Turkish diplomatic mission without a nominee.
In a statement issued late Thursday night, the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had announced that President Tinubu approved the posting of four ambassador-designates.
The initial list named Kayode Are, former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), as ambassador-designate to the United States; Ayodele Oke, former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), as ambassador-designate to France; Amin Dalhatu, former Nigerian ambassador to South Korea, as High Commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom; and Usman Dakingari, former Governor of Kebbi State, as ambassador-designate to Turkey.
However, in a follow-up statement released on Friday, the Presidency clarified that President Tinubu has not appointed any ambassador to Turkey at this time, effectively cancelling the earlier-mentioned posting.
The official list of confirmed postings now includes Ambassador Ayodele Oke to France; Colonel Kayode Are to the United States of America; and Ambassador Amin Dalhatu as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Following the revision, the Presidency directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally notify the governments of France, the United States and the United Kingdom of the confirmed ambassador-designates, in accordance with diplomatic procedures.
