President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Danjuma Sheni, from office.
This was disclosed in a statement by a presidential aide on Tuesday.
The aide said Jonathan fired Sheni for causing him a “huge embarrassment” over the South Africa’s xenophobia saga, especially by inviting the Nigeria’s envoy for consultation.
The aide said Jonathan fired Sheni for causing him a “huge embarrassment” over the South Africa’s xenophobia saga, especially by inviting the Nigeria’s envoy for consultation.
According to the aide, President Jonathan was angry over the condemnation that had trailed the perceived recall of the Nigerian envoys to South Africa.
Media reports at the weekend had claimed that Nigeria has recalled its envoys from South Africa over the xenophobic attacks in the country.
The South African government had reacted to the report, describing it as unnecessary, while the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, had on Monday maintained that there was no truth in the report.
Abati claimed that there was a mix up and misinformation on the matter. He said the envoys were only summoned for routine consultations.
However, the Presidential aide who pleaded anonymity said “The permanent secretary was suspended for causing the president the embarrassment. In this age of diplomatic dispatches, you don’t need to recall or invite any before you ask questions. The man (Sheni) has been queried and has been dismissed.”
Meanwhile, Sheni had been queried on the Morocco saga, where he issued statements without the president’s approval.
The President was miffed that the ministry embarrassed him again.
“The minister himself would have been fired, if not because we have just one month to go. In less than two months, they had embarrassed the government, he added.
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