The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that their host countries have accepted 65 of the 69 Nigerian ambassadors appointed by President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement issued yesterday, the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the 65 accepted ambassadors represented a 97 per cent acceptance rate.

Ebienfa attributed the two outstanding appointments to Grace Bent, ambassador-designate nominee for Togo, declining the offer, and to Mohammed Mahmud Lele, ambassador-designate for Algeria, who died in April.

Lele died on April 19 in Ankara, Turkey, after a protracted illness.

 Ebienfa said the replacement process was ongoing.

The spokesperson did not disclose the other two countries where the appointments remain pending.

Ebienfa said “assurances have been received from the two friendly countries that their consent would be given in due course,” adding that the diplomatic process is progressing “smoothly and successfully”.

 “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to assure Nigerians and the international stakeholders that it is actively engaging the relevant authorities in the two countries and is confident that the outstanding Agreements will be conveyed in due course,” the statement reads.

The spokesperson added that the majority of ambassadors have since arrived in their host countries and presented their letters of credence, commencing their representational duties as Nigeria’s principal envoys.