International Relations and Affairs Alliance( IRAA), a coalition of international relations practitioners has lampooned a faceless group, who is out in arms with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar over delay in appointment of ambassadors, for a lack of zero knowledge about diplomatic processes.
A statement by the Coalition of Civil Society Groups and signed by Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta had erroneously pointed accusing fingers at Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar for recalling ambassadors and not appointing new ones.
The Lagos based coalition led by Mrs. Adewusi Bakare, in a statement on Monday, 15 July, 2024, said Ude-Umanta should note that Ambassadors serve at the prerogative of the President of a Country and not the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and that their recall and appointment lie solely with President Bola Tinubu.
Bakare led coalition alleged that the Ude-Umanta group has shown zero knowledge of the process of recall and appointment of ambassadors and was only serving the bidding of their paymasters.
Bakare said regarding Ambassador Lamuwa’s alleged sexual excesses, if the faceless group had followed the events, they would have discovered that Ambassador 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 Honourable Minister. In this matter, the minister has acted above board to ensure that due process was followed,” Bakare said.
On the achievements under the present Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakare said: “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 of 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.”
International Relations and Affairs Alliance IRAA also 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, insisting that it shows someone who is abreast of global diplomacy and must be supported to succeed in Nigeria’s interest.
