International Relations and Affairs Alliance IRAA, has explained that the appointment of Ambassadors is at the perogative of the President of the country and not the Minister of Foreign Affairs as erroneously claimed by a group.
IRRA also urged the group to gets its fact right about the ongoing alleged sexual abuse case in the ministry.
A group in a statement by the Coalition of Civil Society Groups signed by one Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta had erroneously pointed accusing fingers at Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar for recalling ambassadors and not appointing new ones.
Reacting to the claims against the Minister, IRAA, a coalition of international relations practitioners based in Lagos, Nigeria, led by Mrs Adewusi Bakare, blamed the group’s lack of knowledge about diplomatic processes for raising dust.
Bakare added: “Their recall and appointment of Ambassadors lie solely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The group has shown zero knowledge of the process and serving the bidding of their paymasters.
“Regarding Ambassador Adamu Lamuwa’s alleged sexual excesses, if the faceless group had followed the events, they would have discovered that Amb Tuggar was the first to draw the attention of the Head of Service to the matter and asked that she take charge according to the extant rules of the civil service. However, the group has mischievously left that out and is now turning it against the Honorable Minister. In this matter, the minister has acted above board to ensure that due process was followed.”
IRRA also hailed the minister for his efforts so far, saying, “Tuggar has led the process of the signing of 25 International MoUs that will, in turn, be highly beneficial to Nigeria across energy, business and investment sectors, has revived several bi-national commissions, finalisation the Basa agreement with the US, vigorous campaign of Nigeria in the inclusion of G20, United Nations Security Council and BRICS. Most importantly, a 14 billion USD investment from Indian investors across ICT, Power, steel and manufacturing, agriculture and defence, real estate and hospitality.
” Other investments attracted to Nigeria through Tuggar’s economic diplomacy include a 2 billion USD Investment from Germany for the Nigeria-Siemens Power Project and a 250 million Euros investment from the Netherlands to boost existing business in Nigeria.”
IRAA therefore warned interest groups to desist from tarnishing Nigeria’s image by writing outright fabrications to fight proxy wars on behalf of politicians seeking ambassadorial appointments, disgruntled foreign service officers and the disgraced and suspended Ambassador Adamu Lamuwa.
IRAA said Tuggar’s Multipolarity approach to International Relations, which dealt mainly with Nigeria’s interests while relating to the US, EU, Russia, and China, was the best deal Nigeria could have now. It shows someone who is abreast of global diplomacy and must be supported to succeed in Nigeria’s interest.
