Nigeria sends low-level delegation to Russia-Africa summit

The Russia-Africa summit is ongoing in Moscow, with many African states in attendance in what has been described as an try by President Vladimir Putin to develop Russia’s footprint within the area.

Several high African leaders are in attendance, together with presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers, and heads of state, every representing their nation’s pursuits. Their presence additionally underscores the significance states place on relations with Russia. Some African international locations represented by their heads of presidency embrace Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, DRC, Ghana, Mali and Ethiopia.

Nigeria is neither represented by its president, vice chairman, nor even its international minister. Nigeria is as an alternative represented by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye. Mr Enikanolaiye and the federal government delegation left for Russia the evening earlier than the two-day occasion started on Wednesday.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has established a sample of delegating essential worldwide occasions to Vice President Kashim Shettima. For instance, the Nigerian chief has not attended any UN General Assembly assembly since he assumed workplace however has as an alternative been represented by his deputy. Various causes have been given for Mr Tinubu usually delegating essential worldwide occasions to his deputy. These embrace

prioritising pressing home challenges, in addition to nationwide safety and financial points.

However, regardless that the vice chairman is within the nation, Mr Tinubu didn’t ask him to lead the Nigerian delegation to the Russia-Africa summit.

The subsequent most senior one that may lead the Nigerian delegation is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu. But even she is just not in Moscow for the summit.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Enikanolaiye was assigned to characterize the nation as a result of Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu is reportedly occupied with different assignments.

The minister’s spokesperson, Magnus Eze, informed this paper that Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu initially deliberate to attend the occasion till a last-minute change in plans.

“The minister was assigned to another assignment. But because of its importance, the minister of state was assigned to represent the country in her place. The Minister of State is in Moscow representing the country,” he stated.

Mr Enikanolaiye’s spokesperson, Richard Elesho, additionally confirmed this.

Trade and safety high the summit agenda. On Wednesday, President Putin informed African leaders that Russia was a greater associate in contrast to the colonial West, which remains to be attempting to exploit the continent’s assets and is utilizing debt to maintain again growth.

“Africa is more and more asserting itself as one of many key gamers within the international financial system and ​politics.

“However, the emergence of a multipolar world is, of course, no easy task; it faces resistance from countries ​that are not prepared to accept this reality: those who are accustomed to thinking in terms of their colonial past and to enriching themselves ‌fabulously,” he stated.

Was Shettima supposed to attend?

The Nigerian ambassador to Russia, Joseph Iji, had earlier introduced that Vice President Kashim Shettima would attend the Russia-Africa summit.

He stated Mr Shettima can be main the federal government delegation to the occasion.

“The Vice President of Nigeria will lead the government delegation. We want to deepen our relations with Russia and with Russian businesses,” he was quoted by the African Initiative as saying.

The presidency didn’t clarify why Nigeria downgraded its illustration on the summit from its vice chairman to a junior minister.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Shettima’s spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha, he appeared unaware of the reported plans for the vice chairman to lead a authorities delegation to the summit.

When requested to verify whether or not the vice chairman was to lead the delegation as reported, Mr Nkwocha requested this paper to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the ministry’s spokesperson, Olufemi Adeniyi, however has but to get a response on the time of submitting this report.

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However, the international minister’s spokesperson, Mr Eze, confirmed that the vice chairman was certainly supposed to lead the delegation, which was initially supposed to embrace Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

He stated he couldn’t say whether or not the vice chairman nonetheless led the delegation as a result of he stopped following developments after Mr Enikanolaiye changed the minister because the ministry’s consultant.

He famous that Mr Enikanolaiye travelled together with his delegation.

Possible causes for downgrading delegation

Although the presidency couldn’t give a definitive cause for downgrading the Nigerian delegation to the occasion, there are believable causes for it. Campaigns for the January 2027 presidential election have begun, and the ruling social gathering has launched its campaigns. Messrs Tinubu and Shettima had been each in Kaduna on Saturday to launch the marketing campaign and are anticipated to play key roles. The president has already stated he would be a part of the marketing campaign in 12 states, with the vice chairman anticipated to be a part of much more.

Another believable cause is Nigeria’s growing closeness to the United States, which can have influenced the nation’s determination to downgrade the Russian occasion. Since US President Donald Trump falsely claimed final 12 months that there was a Christian genocide in Nigeria, the Nigerian authorities has taken a number of steps to douse the stress and get nearer to the US administration. This has led to improved relations between the 2 international locations, together with joint safety operations.