Rejection of Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate by India False -Diplomatic Source
Rejection of Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate by India False –Diplomatic Source
By Ndukaku Ihe
A diplomatic source has dismissed reports that the Government of India rejected Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate to the country, Muhammad Dahiru.
The development, he said, was merely a notification regarding India’s diplomatic policy.
The source, who spoke within diplomatic circles, explained that the communication from India was not a rejection but a clarification relating to the posting of career diplomats.
“It is not rejection, but notification”, he said, noting that the request for agreement was sent last Thursday and that some responses started coming in on Monday.
According to the source, career diplomats are usually posted based on their service tenure rather than the tenure of a sitting president.
“The incoming president can allow the ambassador to stay because of the cost of sending another ambassador. They can reject political appointees, not career officers,” the source explained.
He added that given the strategic relationship between Nigeria and India, it would be unlikely for India to reject Nigeria’s envoy outright.
The source also noted that it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nigeria to formally communicate to India that Dahiru’s posting is based on his career service tenure.
He maintained that diplomatic procedures do not usually involve outright rejection of career officers, although delays may occur for administrative or political reasons.
“Those who are not comfortable with the president’s appointment may try to push back, but it will definitely go through because Dahiru is a career service officer”, he said.
The source further cited examples from other countries, including the United States, which he said is currently processing the posting of Ambassador-designate, Kayode Are.
According to him, some countries occasionally delay agreement processes to observe political developments.
He recalled that during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, it took nearly two years before Nigeria received agreement for an envoy to Israel.
The Presidency had last Friday announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the posting of 31 career and 34 non-career ambassadors to various countries following confirmation by the Senate.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said some countries had already granted agreement for Nigeria’s envoys.
According to the statement, the United Kingdom has granted agreement for the High Commissioner-designate, Aminu Dalhatu, while France has approved the posting of Ayo Oke.
The statement added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had forwarded the nominations of the remaining 62 envoys to their respective host countries and requested agreement in line with established diplomatic practice.
President Tinubu also directed the ministry to immediately begin the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and high commissioners.
