The Presidency has withdrawn the posting of a former Governor of Kebbi State, Usman Dakingari, as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Turkey, less than 24 hours after announcing a list of ambassadorial postings.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday night by the presidential spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who had earlier announced that President Bola Tinubu approved the deployment of four ambassadors-designate from the over 60 nominees confirmed by the Senate in December 2025.
According to the earlier announcement, Mr Kayode Are, former Director-General of the Department of State Services, was appointed ambassador-designate to the United States; Mr Ayodele Oke, former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, was posted to France; Mr Amin Dalhatu, a former ambassador to South Korea, was named high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom; while Mr Dakingari was assigned to Turkey.
However, in a fresh statement released on Friday by the State House, Onanuga clarified that no ambassador has been appointed to Turkey.
The new statement reaffirmed the postings of Are to the United States, Oke to France, and Dalhatu to the United Kingdom, but omitted Dakingari’s name, effectively rescinding his appointment.
No reason was given for the reversal.
The initial posting of Dakingari had attracted attention as it came ahead of President Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to Turkey next week.
Onanuga further stated that President Tinubu has written formally to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notify the governments of the three countries of the ambassadors-designate, in line with established diplomatic procedures.
