- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployment of former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, to South Africa as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate.
NPO Reported that Fani-Kayode had initially been posted to Germany following his appointment alongside over 60 others.
However, the ex-minister reportedly requested change in his posting.
He made this known in a statement issued on his Facebook page on Thursday,
According to the statement, Fani-Kayode filed a complaint before the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, stating being uncomfortable with his posting to Germany.
“This came a few days after the initial posting to Germany was announced and after I made a formal representation to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, that I was not comfortable with Germany for a number of personal reasons and given the fact that I had lived in Europe most of my life I would prefer to go to South Africa which is a country that I had never been to and for which I have so much interest.
“I also expressed the fact that I would rather serve in a country that shares some of my convictions, beliefs and values when it comes to world affairs, that has the biggest economy in Africa, that has closer ties to Nigeria and that is more proximate to my political thinking when it comes to foreign affairs and a pan African vision.
“I therefore made an application for a redeployment to South Africa two days after the initial announcement was made and I am pleased to say that after the then Foreign Minister (H.E. Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar) heard my reasons he considered them favourably after which he conveyed the request to Mr. President who graciously approved it.” Fani-Kayode wrote.
The ambassador-designate expressed his gratitude to Tinubu and Tuggar for the consideration of his request.
He also thanked Senator Sam Enang, who was originally posted to South Africa over his acceptance to go to Germany instead.
Meanwhile, Fani-Kayode debunked reports of being rejected by Germany.
The ex-minister slammed an undisclosed online magazine over the circulation of the reports.
“I take this opportunity to once again confirm that this was my choice and that Germany NEVER rejected me, which was a fake report that was published in an irresponsible online magazine that thrives on sensationalism, lies and blackmail.
“Their story was not only irresponsible and insulting but was also a total and complete fabrication based on hearsay, beer parlour talk and cheap gossip and designed to embarrass my good self, the Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Worse still they listed a number of clearly outlandish and absurd reasons for this purported and fake “rejection” which they patched together and concocted reflecting the malevolent condition of their perverse imagination.” He said.
Fani-Kayode further disclosed that preliminary investigation revealed that the story was not only allegedly sponsored but also written with malicious intent and designed to hurt and destroy his career and bring him into both national and international opprobium and disrepute.
He said the publishers of the magazine have been reported to authorities with his lawyers set to sue them to court.
“We have reported the online magazine and the individuals that are behind it with a petition to the relevant security agencies for necessary action.
“I have also briefed my lawyers to take up the matter, and we shall be suing them in a civil action for defamation.” He said.