Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for what he described as Nigeria’s insufficient diplomatic reaction to the recent threat made by United States President Donald Trump.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, Olawepo-Hashim said he was not surprised by Trump’s remarks but was shocked by the Nigerian government’s response, which he claimed showed a deficiency of effective diplomatic involvement.
He faulted the administration led by the APC for failing to maintain suitable diplomatic channels, noting that Nigeria had operated without a fully active ambassador in Washington for an extensive period.
He said: “I am not surprised about the threat from President Donald Trump. What shocks me is the Nigerian government’s response. There have been hearings in the US Senate on these matters for years, yet Nigeria did not have a fully functioning ambassador in the United States. How then are you supposed to convey your account in a serious manner?” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim accused the government of favoring unofficial methods over established diplomatic structures, describing such actions as “funny” and lacking in professionalism.
He added: “They prefer informal communication when there are established institutional frameworks for communication in international relations. Your ambassador serves as your president in a foreign country, which is not the same as a temporary chargé d’affaires. These structures, such as joint national or two-sided commissions, have been disabled for years.”
He recalled that diplomatic cooperation between Nigeria and its neighboring countries, including the Niger Republic, had also deteriorated due to neglect.
According to him, the paralyzing of these official structures has diminished Nigeria’s global influence and undermined its long-standing reputation as a force for stability in West Africa.
He said: “The APC government, especially under President Tinubu, has pursued a careless and disjointed foreign policy. This is not the first instance of us being pushed to the edge of an external conflict. The first was when Tinubu threatened to go to war with the Niger Republic. That was the first foreign policy mistake,” he said.
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