Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has defended the latest ambassadorial nominations, insisting that the nominee list reflects the President’s judgment of what is best for his administration and for Nigeria.
Oshodi, while speaking on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, Morning Brief, expressed that political appointments to diplomatic positions were a global practice.
He explained that global presidents and prime ministers have adopted a routine style of nominating trusted allies or individuals with long-standing relationships.
“Whether it’s Donald Trump sending his friends as ambassadors, or the British government posting Peter Mandelson to Washington despite controversies, it is the nature of the business.
“I’m not saying we should send people of bad character abroad, but it has to be the discretion and political decision of the president or head of state,” he said.
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Oshodi stressed that Nigerians must respect the President’s prerogative decisions, adding that those raising questions regarding the qualifications of the nominees lack a core understanding of the electoral mandate bestowed on him.
Oshodi reiterated that President Tinubu alone has the mandate to decide what is best for his administration and the country’s governance, arguing that perceptions of what is best are inherently subjective.
He concluded by saying that the performance of the nominees in each capacity they are meant to serve will be the ultimate judge of whether the President’s decisions are best for the country.
He said, “We voted for a president, and we voted for him to make his decisions. This is the best the President has chosen, and it is the best for the interests and success of his administration.”
“Your judgment of what is best is different from mine. He sends his people out to represent his government—whether for economic, security or cultural needs,” he said.
