Former presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie, has accused President Bola Tinubu of running Nigeria like a “private WhatsApp group,” following his prolonged failure to appoint ambassadors nearly two years into his administration.
Onochie, who served under late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and was one of his most vocal supporters, took to her X handle on Thursday to express frustration over what she described as Tinubu’s disregard for national interests in foreign diplomacy.
She highlighted that since the recall of Nigerian envoys in September 2023, the President has yet to appoint replacements, leaving the country’s foreign missions without leadership.
She raised concerns that Nigeria’s absence of substantive ambassadors was weakening the country’s diplomatic standing and hindering its ability to maintain strong international relations.
Onochie also accused the President of focusing on countries where he could allegedly receive adulation, rather than prioritizing national governance.
“A strategist who doesn’t know that Nigeria needs Ambassadors to relate with the rest of the world is running Nigeria like a private WhatsApp group,” she wrote.
“He prefers to relate to St. Lucia and Kazakhstan, where he can be idolised and worshipped for the right price.
“Clearly Pres. @officialABAT’s mission is only for the benefits of his #PrivateWhatsappGroup.
National Assembly – Comatose
Judiciary – Private Enterprise
Executive – Bourdillon Only
Political Parties – In a zipped pocket.
NNPCL – Side Chicks.
#TheGuyIsGone – @B_ELRUFAI.”
