Former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joe Keshi, has raised major concerns over Tinubu’s ambassadorial list, warning that some of the nominees lack the character required to represent Nigeria abroad.
Keshi, who spoke on The Morning Brief on Channels Television, said parts of Tinubu’s ambassadorial list include people who should have no place in the diplomatic service “by any standard.”
“I’m comfortable with some names on the list, but the truth of the matter is that the bulk of the people on the non-career list is a bit disturbing. Are these the kind of people we want to represent Nigeria?
“You have people who, if justice had prevailed, and if this country had been run properly, and the rules of the game were obeyed, should actually be cooling their heels in prison and not being sent out as ambassadors.
“You have people who have governed their states. They were absolute failures. They showed no leadership when they led their states, and the governors who took over from them are struggling to repair the damage they’ve done.
“Those are the kind of people being rewarded, either because they have helped you to destroy other political parties, and the rest of it,” he said.
Keshi added that Nigeria needs competent professionals, not politically-rewarded nominees, emphasising that Tinubu’s ambassadorial list falls short of the standards set when the diplomatic service was created.
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“Look, as far back as the 1960s, when the diplomatic service was established, those who set up the service, particularly the Prime Minister, were very clear about the kind of diplomatic service they wanted for Nigeria.
“He wanted a very competent foreign service. He wanted an independent foreign service. He wanted officers of the foreign service to be well trained, able to compete favourably with their peers all over the world.
“And the first generation of those recruited into the foreign service, for a long time, met the criteria, until the politicians came and started what they are doing today,” he stated.