President Bola Tinubu has not extended the October 31 deadline for envoys to return to the country, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
Tinubu had, on September 2, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, directed all envoys to return on October 31.
However, it was reported (not in Saturday PUNCH) that the Conference of Non-Career Ambassadors has asked President Bola Tinubu for an extension of the October 31 deadline.
In a letter to President Tinubu on October 13, and copied the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the envoys said the deadline was not tenable as a result of the non-implementation of the Authority to Incur Expenditures.
The envoys in the letter signed by the Dean of Nigerian Ambassadors, Nwannebuike Ominyi, said the request for extension was as a result of their children’s education, which would be disrupted by the October 31 deadline.
The envoys appealed to President Tinubu to look into the deadline for the recall of ambassadors and grant an extension beyond December 31, 2023.
Responding, the media aide to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir, said, “Mr President has not granted extension, 31st October sacrosanct.”
Contact: [email protected]