The International Relations and Affairs Alliance (IRAA), a coalition of international relations practitioners, has criticized a faceless group targeting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, over delays in ambassadorial appointments.
The group was accused of lacking understanding of diplomatic processes.
A statement from the Coalition of Civil Society Groups, signed by Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, wrongly blamed Ambassador Tuggar for recalling ambassadors without appointing new ones.
The Lagos-based coalition, led by Mrs. Adewusi Bakare, clarified on Monday that the recall and appointment of ambassadors were prerogatives of President Bola Tinubu, not the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Bakare accused the Ude-Umanta group of demonstrating ignorance about the ambassadorial processes and serving the interests of their paymasters.
Addressing allegations regarding Ambassador Lamuwa’s purported misconduct, Bakare noted that Ambassador Tuggar was the first to inform the Head of Service and requested her intervention per civil service rules.
Bakare accused the group of deliberately omitting this fact to malign the Minister.
Highlighting Tuggar’s achievements, Bakare mentioned the signing of 25 international MoUs benefiting Nigeria’s energy, business, and investment sectors, the revival of bi-national commissions, and the finalization of the Basa agreement with the US.
Notably, Tuggar secured a $14 billion investment from Indian investors in ICT, power, steel, manufacturing, agriculture, defense, real estate, and hospitality. Additionally, a $2 billion investment from Germany for the Nigeria-Siemens Power Project and a €250 million investment from the Netherlands were also mentioned.
The IRAA warned interest groups against damaging Nigeria’s reputation with fabricated claims to fight proxy wars for political ambitions, disgruntled foreign service officers, and the suspended Ambassador Adamu Lamuwa.
The IRAA emphasized that Tuggar’s multipolarity approach to international relations, balancing Nigeria’s interests with the US, EU, Russia, and China, demonstrates his adeptness in global diplomacy and urged support for his continued success in Nigeria’s interests.
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