By Augustine Ehikioya
Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has cautioned foreign diplomatic missions in Nigeria against making unguarded or disparaging comments as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
She also warned against unsolicited lectures on democracy, urging members of the Diplomatic Corps to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and channel their concerns through established diplomatic procedures.
The minister spoke on Thursday in Abuja at her first formal engagement with members of the Diplomatic Corps since assuming office.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu acknowledged Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest democracy and said developments in the country carried significant regional and international implications.
“As the 2027 general elections draw near, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would request that missions remain guided,” she said, stressing that Nigeria would not look kindly upon “unguarded comments, disparaging remarks, or unsolicited lectures on democracy.”
She, however, assured the diplomatic community that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to democratic governance and to conducting a peaceful, free, fair and credible election.
The minister called for stronger cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and foreign missions, saying disagreements should be addressed through dialogue, mutual respect and recognised diplomatic channels.
She specifically urged diplomatic missions to route official communications and requests directed at the Presidency, ministries, departments and agencies through the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
According to her, the ministry should be regarded as a facilitator of diplomatic engagement rather than an impediment.
“Let me emphasise that the Ministry is not an obstacle between you and the Nigerian Government; we are your bridge to the Nigerian Government,” she said.
The minister also announced renewed attention to inactive Joint Commissions and Bi-National Commissions as part of efforts to deepen bilateral relations.
She said such mechanisms would be used to promote cooperation in trade, investment, security, education, technology, health and agriculture.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the success of Nigeria’s diplomatic relationships should ultimately be measured by tangible benefits to citizens rather than the number of meetings held or communiqués issued.
She explained that Nigeria’s foreign policy under the Tinubu administration was anchored on the four Ds — Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora — with the objective of placing Nigerians at the centre of the country’s international engagements.
She further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strategic autonomy in international relations, explaining that the policy should not be interpreted as isolation.
“Strategic autonomy does not mean isolation; it means preserving Nigeria’s sovereign right to determine the relationships and positions that best serve our people,” she said.
On consular matters, the minister urged both Nigerian and foreign authorities to improve the efficiency of diplomatic correspondence, document authentication, legalisation and visa processing.
