A legal practitioner and political analyst , Barrister Darlington Agomuo, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the delay in appointing substantive ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions.
Mr. Agomuo stated on Wednesday, during a live broadcast on Voice of the People Television, that the continued absence of ambassadors is weakening Nigeria’s position on the global stage.
“You cannot run a country’s foreign policy on autopilot. These missions are currently headless,” Mr Agomuo said.
“In the world of high diplomacy, if you are not at the table with a substantive representative, you are on the menu,” he added.
He also stated that the administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda cannot be projected globally without credible diplomatic representatives.
“The presidency must realise that ‘Renewed Hope’ cannot be exported if there are no credible vessels to carry that message,” he said.
Mr Agomuo noted that many of Nigeria’s foreign missions are currently being managed by lower-ranking officials without full diplomatic authority.
He argued that this limits Nigeria’s ability to engage effectively with international partners and protect its interests abroad.
The delay in appointing ambassadors has reportedly affected Nigerians living abroad.
Analysts say citizens are facing passport and consular challenges due to the lack of decision-making authority at missions.
Mr Agomuo described the situation as both administrative failure and a “legal embarrassment.”
Security and Governance Breakdown
Mr Agomuo also raised concerns over reports of illegal taxation by armed groups in parts of Northern Nigeria.
He warned that the emergence of “harvest taxes” imposed by bandits signals a breakdown of state authority.
“The moment a citizen pays tax to a bandit to access farmland, the social contract is not just broken; it is destroyed,” he said.
He added that failure to dismantle such structures could legitimise insurgency and worsen food insecurity.
Reports from states such as Zamfara State and Katsina State indicate that farmers are forced to pay large sums to operate, contributing to rising food prices and rural displacement.
Concerns Over 2027 Elections
The legal practitioner further warned against what he described as attempts to manipulate the political space ahead of the 2027 elections.
He cautioned against using the judiciary to disqualify opposition candidates, describing such actions as dangerous for democracy.
“Democracy is about choice. When you begin to use technicalities to reduce options to one preferred candidate, it is no longer democracy,” Mr Agomuo said.
He urged the judiciary to remain independent and allow voters, not court rulings, to determine political leadership.
Background
Since the recall of ambassadors in 2023, many of Nigeria’s over 100 diplomatic missions have operated without substantive envoys.
Critics argue that the prolonged delay has led to a stagnant foreign policy and reduced Nigeria’s influence on the global stage, while domestic governance concerns continue to raise questions about institutional effectiveness.
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