Ambassadors in the Spotlight: FG Screens Femi Fani-Kayode, Femi Pedro, and Others – International Edition (English)

by admin | Apr 10, 2025 | foreign policy, news, politics, politics and government, politics and law

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The federal government is evaluating prospective candidates for positions within its various diplomatic offices across 109 missions, including 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 global consulates.
Sunday PUNCH
reports.

Sources well-informed about the situation disclosed that Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, who previously served as the Minister of Aviation during the Obasanjo administration, along with Femi Pedro, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, have been included in the list of nominees.

Sunday PUNCH
It was also noted that the screening process does not take place at a central location; instead, nominees are instructed to go to the closest DSS office.

Presidential staffers verified for our reporter that multiple contenders were reached out to for submitting their individual educational background and professional experience details.

They are currently conducting security checks with DSS. Once these checks are completed and clearance is granted, we will publish the list.

Those who have been cleared will be disclosed,” stated an official anonymously due to lack of authorization for media communication. They added, “The procedure is still underway. By the end of April, we aim to have a comprehensive list.

A different informant stated, “The screening process doesn’t happen at a central point. Instead, it depends on the nominees’ locations. The candidates have been contacted to submit their personal background details along with specifics such as the schools they graduated from and positions they’ve occupied. Hence, this procedure follows geographical distribution.”

Tinubu’s Four Ds and financial challenges

Starting from September 2023, President Bola Tinubu has implemented his foreign policy based on four key concepts: Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora, all while functioning without ambassadors.

During that period, he completed an extensive review of Nigeria’s foreign policy across all sectors, resulting in more than 83 both career and non-career ambassadors being called back from their respective posts.

Last December, reliable sources close to the President confirmed that Tinubu spent part of his holiday reviewing the names of nominees with plans to transmit a consolidated list to the National Assembly before the end of the month.

Nevertheless, updates in January indicated that the President had altered his position.

Our reporter learned that the project faced delays because of insufficient funds—amounting to approximately $1 billion—that were needed to clear back payments for overseas staff, address accumulated expenses, upgrade old vehicles, and refurbish embassy structures.

A representative, speaking under conditions of confidentiality, stated, “The primary concern revolves around finances. It’s not about funding for the ambassadors themselves; we must consider their compensation packages and allowances. Instead, the critical financial aspect pertains to CAPEX [Capital Expenditure]. When all costs associated with resolving these problems are tallied up, they approach nearly $1 billion.”

Out of all these embassies, nearly 90 percent appear dilapidated. They might suffer from poor living conditions for residents, non-functional offices, or overdue rents. As far as functioning well-maintained ones go, they probably do not exceed 10.

I realize that many lack functional transportation options; their most recent vehicle purchases date back ten years. These cars often break down, which makes them unsuitable for diplomats since these officials represent their nation’s prestige. Additionally, basic amenities like electricity and running water may be absent in those areas. Therefore, assigning ambassadors to such locations would place them in difficult circumstances.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, similarly pointed out that the delays were due to financial limitations.

“It’s an issue with finances,” Tuggar stated at a ministerial briefing in Abuja last May.

He contended that assigning ambassadors lacking the necessary funds for travel and efficient operation of embassies overseas served no purpose.

We encountered a scenario where foreign affairs were underfunded as they should have been. Certain loopholes are taken advantage of by entities similar to Binance. This issue stems from financial constraints.

“There is no point sending out ambassadors if you do not have the funds for them to even travel to their designated countries and to run the missions effectively, one needs funding. Mr President is working on it, and it will be done in due course,” Tuggar said.

A representative from the foreign service mentioned that although the 2025 budget included allocations to address part of this expense, the amount was insufficient.

Nominees on the list

Senior officials from the presidency and foreign services have stated that even though the full list of candidates remains strictly confidential, several well-known and contentious individuals are currently under consideration.

An official stated, “The announcements regarding these appointments will be made shortly. These selections are currently under review. For the moment, the identities of those nominated remain strictly confidential since some of the individuals initially considered may not ultimately be approved.”

FFK [Femi Fani-Kayode] is included in the list. Among these, several contentious names have also been proposed. Additionally, Fola Adeola [the founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc] and Femi Pedro are part of it as well. This time around, they’re advancing the process at a faster pace.

Offering explanations for the sluggish procedure, an additional official clarified that the scrutiny was essential to prevent potential issues that could tarnish the nation’s reputation internationally.

“The nominees are currently undergoing scrutiny, with background investigations being carried out. This process ensures that the nominees do not present any security concerns and guarantees their appointment won’t adversely affect the nation,” explained the official.

It was also alleged that Reno Omokri, who previously served as an aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, appeared on this list.

However, a reliable source from the Presidency refuted this claim.

“Reno doesn’t appear on the list, but FFK does,” the source stated.

The President’s Special Advisor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who previously addressed the delays, stated that nominations for ambassadorial positions require comprehensive scrutiny before being submitted to the National Assembly as a finalized list.

“Don’t overlook the fact that the ambassadorial list consists of two parts: career ambassadors and political ambassadors. Both the foreign affairs list and the consolidated list will undergo specific procedures before being made public,” he clarified.

When two of the nominees were reached out to by
Sunday PUNCH
, declined comment.

They neither confirmed nor denied the report.

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