Federal Government has clarified the status of its ambassadorial appointments, announcing that 65 out of the 69 nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu have received agreement (formal approval) from their host countries, while four cases, including that of Reno Omokri, remain unresolved.
Gatekeepers News reports that the clarification was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, following reports claiming that Omokri’s nomination as Nigeria’s ambassador to Mexico had been rejected.
The ministry described the reports as false, insisting that no country had declined his nomination. It explained that Omokri’s appointment is still undergoing the normal diplomatic process required before an ambassador can assume office.
According to the ministry, Omokri’s case is one of two nominations still awaiting agrément from host governments. The other pending nomination is that of the ambassador-designate to Japan. It noted that the timeline for granting agrément differs from one country to another because each receiving state follows its own internal diplomatic procedures before approving foreign envoys.
The ministry also disclosed that the two remaining unresolved appointments are due to separate circumstances. Grace Bent, who was nominated as ambassador to Togo, declined the appointment, while Mohammed Mahmud Lele, the ambassador-designate to Algeria, died in April before he could take up the position.
It added that obtaining agrément is a confidential diplomatic process governed by international practice and should not be interpreted as a rejection while consultations are still ongoing.
The ministry reaffirmed that it remains in communication with the affected countries and expressed confidence that the outstanding appointments would be concluded in due course.
