Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has delivered a stern warning to state governments: stay in your lane. Tuggar emphasized that sub-national actors, like state governments, have no business engaging in foreign or international negotiations without the involvement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Federal Government. And if you think you can handle it alone, don’t come crying to Abuja when it all blows up in your face.
Why It Matters
Tuggar’s comments come in the wake of an embarrassing blunder where a French court authorized a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment, to seize three Nigerian government jets. Three of Nigeria’s prized jets are now parked at Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse international airports, serving as “security” for the company’s claim of a whopping €74,459,221. So much for state governments knowing what they’re doing.
This mess wasn’t caused by the current administration. No, this particular blunder traces back to an earlier Ogun State government that decided it could bypass the Federal Government and strike its own international deals. Now it’s Nigeria’s assets that are on the line.
What They Are saying
According to Tugger “This is part of the problem when state governments take it upon themselves to go into agreements and international arrangements without consulting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Federal Government. And when things go wrong, guess who’s left to clean up the mess? That’s right, us.”
The Minister made it crystal clear, foreign or international negotiations are not for amateurs. They are the exclusive domain of professionals with the necessary skills, training, and experience. In other words, leave the diplomacy to the diplomats. The idea that a state government could successfully negotiate on an international stage without involving seasoned experts is as laughable as it is dangerous.
Tuggar also pointed out that the Attorney General and himself are currently working on resolving the issue both diplomatically and legally. But let’s face the truth, the damage is already done, and it’s a costly lesson for those who thought they could play at international diplomacy without proper oversight.
Bottom Line
This fiasco serves as a reminder of the risks involved when state governments overstep their boundaries. Tuggar’s advice is simple but crucial, register any international arrangements with the embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Government. Because, as this issue has shown, when sub-national actors attempt to go it alone on the global stage, the consequences can be disastrous.
