At a meeting with over a hundred heads of missions in Abuja, the Minister of foreign affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, said information reaching the Federal government indicates that some foreign missions want to interfere in the electoral process and that the federal government will not tolerate such actions. He said interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs by foreign envoys is unacceptable.
“No country, I repeat no country, no matter how well intentioned can love Nigeria more than Nigerians themselves. Excellencies let me seize this opportunity to express the strong displeasure of the Federal government on conducts of some heads of mission who have continued to behave in an imperial manner and in clear breech of the channel of diplomatic communication. A situation where a head of mission takes on the role of a government seeking to impose the views and perspectives of its government and make unguided utterances on matters that are strictly within the domestic jurisdiction of the host country is unacceptable. Let me be clear, the Federal government would no longer tolerate the excesses of such heads of mission. They are hereby advised to operate within the norms and etiquette of diplomatic intercourse” the Minister said.
While reacting to the postponement in a statement released on Sunday February 8th, US Secretary of State, John Kerry said “political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission” is unacceptable, calling on the government to “not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process”. (LIB, Channelstv)