BREAKING NEWS:Presidency Makes U-Turn,Withdraws Name of Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman As Nigeria’s Ambassador to Turkey

By: Olufemi Orunsola 

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that a few hours after appointing him as Nigeria’s Ambassador Designate to Turkey, President Bola Tinubu has reversed the posting of former Kebbi State governor, Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, to the significant country.

OTN News had earlier reported the posting of Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman as announced on Thursday night by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga alongside the postings of Ambassador Ayodele Oke as ambassador to France, Colonel Lateef Are as ambassador to the United States of America as well as Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, as High Commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.

However, in a State House Press Release on Friday morning, Suleiman, whose posting to Turkey had been announced earlier alongside others, was withdrawn by the President. 

Suleiman’s posting was expected to precede President Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to Turkey next week. 

Meanwhile, no explanation has been provided for the withdrawal.

Onanuga’s latest statement reads, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of three ambassadors-designate, out of the 68 confirmed by the Senate last December.

“President Tinubu confirmed the postings of Ambassador Ayodele Oke as the ambassador-designate to France, and Colonel Lateef Are as the ambassador-designate to the United States of America.

“Also confirmed by the President is the posting of Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.

“In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu urged the ministry to notify the governments of the three countries about the ambassadors-designate, in accordance with diplomatic procedures.”

For the records, OTN News recalls that after leaving the Customs service, Dakingari successfully contested the governorship of Kebbi State in April 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Dakingari was reelected on 26 April 2011.   However, on 18 May 2011, his opponent from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Malam Abubakar Abubakar, challenged the election on grounds of irregularities. The Kebbi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal subsequently nullified the election and ordered a fresh election.

A Court of Appeal in Sokoto overturned the nullification on 29 December 2011, but did not give a reason for its decision until 23 January 2012, more than 60 days after the hearing. On 24 February 2012, the Supreme Court of Nigeria threw out the Court of Appeal's judgement due to the delay, declared the election annulled and ordered a fresh election within 90 days. Aminu Musa Habib Jega, speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, was made Acting Governor in his place.