Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Joe Keshi, has criticised the list of ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu for confirmation.
He also questioned the integrity of some of the nominees, insisting that certain individuals “should have no business being in the diplomatic service by any standard.”
President Tinubu had on Saturday released a list of 32 nominees for ambassadorial positions in Nigeria’s foreign missions.
Those listed included former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mahmood Yakubu; former Governors of Enugu and Abia States, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Okezie Ikpeazu; former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.
The President had earlier forwarded the names of Oke, Amin Dalhatu, and Colonel Lateef Are, Retired, to the Senate for confirmation.
However, Keshi, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, stated: “I’m comfortable with some names on the list, but the truth of the matter is that the bulk of the people on the non-career list is a bit disturbing. Are these the kind of people we want to represent Nigeria?”
He added: “You have people who, if justice had prevailed and if this country had been run properly, and the rules and the rules of the game are obeyed, actually should be cooling their heels in the walls of the prison and not being sent out as ambassadors.”
Keshi continued: “You have people who have governed their states. They were absolute failures. They showed no leadership when they led their states, and the governors who took over from them are struggling to repair the damage they’ve done to their states.”
He argued that such individuals were being rewarded “either because they have helped you to destroy other political parties, and the rest of it.’’
Keshi also said he believed there had been a conspiracy against a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayo Oke, leading to his removal as head of the agency.
He revealed that senior officials within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were deeply unhappy about being excluded from the ambassadorial list.
According to him, Nigeria must deploy its most competent representatives abroad, stating: “Look, as far back as the 1960s, when the diplomatic service was established, those who established the diplomatic service, particularly the prime minister, were very clear in their minds about the kind of diplomatic service they wanted for Nigeria.
“He [the prime minister] wanted a very competent foreign service. He wanted an independent foreign service. He wanted officers of the foreign service to be well trained, to be able to compete favourably with their peers all over the world.”
He said that the early generation of foreign service officers met these expectations “until the politicians came and started what they are doing today.’’
Keshi urged President Tinubu to include ministry officials in the next list, stating, “The second point I made was to appeal to the President. I hear there’s another list to come out; I don’t know if it’s true.
“I beg the President, for goodness’ sake, for the sake of the officers and the ministry of foreign affairs today, to please ensure that the next list contains no other names but the people from the ministry of foreign affairs.”
He said the officers were frustrated and demoralised: “Look, tomorrow somebody will accuse them of being unpatriotic, but the truth of the matter is that they are disappointed after being prepared.
“They’ve gone through training, preparing themselves, and where they are supposed to be appointed, you’re now saying they are not qualified to represent the country.
“You have a set that has retired. All these officers, as Nigerians today, are very bitter, and they think that Nigeria has done it to them.’’
