Recalled Ambassadors’ Tenure Not Extended – Minister

The tenure of Nigerian career and non-career Ambassadors which end on October 31 has not been extended, the special assistant on media and communications strategy to the minister of foreign affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir has said.

He clarified this in a short statement sent to LEADERSHIP last night.

President Bola Tinubu had in September recalled Nigerian ambassadors to various countries of the world.

Tinubu had in the letter signed by the minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, asked the envoys to return to Nigeria by October 31, 2023 at the latest.

The letter read: “I have the honour to notify you of Mr President’s decision to recall you, signalling the end of your tenure as ambassador…

“By this communication, you are now expected to commence the process of winding down your affairs, and take formal leave of your host government within 60 days and to return to Nigeria by 31st October, 2023 at the latest.”

However, LEADERSHIP got a hint that the ambassadors’ tenure was extended to December.

When contacted the media aide to the foreign affairs minister said its was not true as some of the envoys had either signalled their host governments of leaving or have left and returned to the country already.

“Re: Recalled envoys tenure extended by 3 months, this is not true as some of the envoys have either signalled their host governments of leaving or have left and returned to the country already.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recall still stands and all envoys are expected to be back in Nigeria by the 31st of October as earlier communicated by the minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, acting on the directive of the president.

“This is a routine matter for career and non-career envoys, to recalibrate Nigeria’s foreign policy and international relations in line with the 4Ds (Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora) foreign policy strategy under the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr President,” Abdulkadir said.