Ambassadors

The first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization on Monday welcomed an apology from a Swiss newspaper that had dismissed the seasoned international professional as a grandmother.

The Presidential Amnesty Programme office has introduced new training package for ex-militants under the amnesty scheme.

It was a harvest of tributes for a former Chief of Air Staff, late Air Marshall Nsikak Eduok as his remains were laid to rest in his hometown in Ibesikpo Asutan, Akwa Ibom state on Saturday.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a swipe at the All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership in the Senate for “betraying Nigerians” by clearing former services chiefs for ambassadorial portfolios despite allegation of crime against humanity committed under their command.

The United States officially rejoined the Paris climate agreement on Friday, reinvigorating the global fight against climate change as the Biden administration plans drastic emissions cuts over the next three decades.

The Biden administration on Tuesday said everything possible must be done to stop Ebola outbreaks in the African nations of Guinea and Democratic Republic of Congo before they become large epidemics.

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Ambassadors-Designate, Consuls-General, Charge D’Affaires Entitre to continually project the strengths of Nigeria, showcase priorities of the government and uphold standards that will bring honour to the country.

A non-political, pro-democracy platform, African Centre for Leadership and Good Governance (ACLG) has expressed its support for the nomination of the immediate-past military Service Chiefs as non- career ambassadors by President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that the action of the president was in order.

A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Aminu Sani Jaji has said that those governors negotiating with bandits to lay down arms are playing politics with the whole issue of insecurity instead of finding out the motive and strength of the killer gangs as part of measures to finding solutions to banditry, particularly in the north.

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday offered automatic employment to 110 ex-corps members in the Federal Civil Service and scholarships for the pursuit of post-graduate studies up to doctoral level in any university in Nigeria.

The Senate on Wednesday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the appointment of an indigene of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a non-career ambassador.

The Senate yesterday read a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of the newly appointed service chiefs.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday received over 2000 defectors from other political parties in Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State.

The Yobe chapter of Muslim Sisters Organisation of Nigeria (MSO), an NGO, in collaboration with UN Women, have embarked on advocacy and sensitisation to end Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the state.

As the National Assembly resumes plenary on Tuesday after a long Christmas break, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has asked the Senate not to confirm the nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari of the erstwhile service chiefs as non-career ambassadors.

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has fixed Tuesday, February 9, for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kano-Maradi railway project, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed on Sunday.

The Presidency, Saturday, stoutly defended the nomination of immediate past service chiefs as non-career ambassadors by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it is reward for their hard work and exceptional service to fatherland. In a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, the Presidency berated the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for unwarranted attacks on the nominees since their appointments were announced on Thursday.

The Presidency on Saturday rose in stout defence of the nomination of the immediate past service chiefs as non-career ambassadors by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Friday, said the potentials embedded in sports have been highly underestimated in Nigeria.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari did not violate any law by reappointing Ahmed Idris as the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF).

Former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Bola Akinterinwa, says the appointment of ex-service chiefs as non-career ambassadors may not necessarily grant them diplomatic immunity or protect them from being probed by the International Criminal Court.

South Korean trade Minister, Yoo Myung-hee, on Friday (Feb 5) dropped her bid to become head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), clearing the way for Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to become the global body’s first woman and first African director-general.