Shehu Sani, former senator representing Kaduna central, has thrown his weight behind Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s high commissioner to South Africa, amid the ongoing diplomatic dispute between the two countries over his credentials presentation ceremony.
In a post on Sunday, the former senator described
Fani-Kayode as the best choice to represent Nigeria in the African country,
citing his distinctive personality.
“Fani Kayode is the best choice for South Africa at this
material time,” he wrote on X.
“They need someone who can switch to any mode when the
occasion demands for it. If you speak diplomacy you get diplomacy, if you speak
‘sakiya’ you get ‘Sakiya’.”
Fani-Kayode swiftly responded, saying, “Much appreciated my
dearest distinguished brother.”
The diplomat presented his letters of credence alongside 14
other envoys on Friday at the Sefako M. Makgatho presidential guest house in
Tshwane, Gauteng.
The South African presidency livestreamed the ceremony on
YouTube.
However, the livestream appeared to suffer a glitch while
Antoine Michon, the French ambassador to South Africa, whom Fani-Kayode was
scheduled to speak after, was delivering his speech.
The broadcast subsequently cut to Cyril Ramaphosa, South
African president, addressing the ambassadors.
Fani-Kayode publicly expressed his grievances in a lengthy
post on X, alleging that his speech was cut off when he presented his letters
of credence to Ramaphosa.
The diplomat said he raised the issue directly with the
South African president, who “in fairness to him”, took him to the “relevant
officials and acted with despatch”.
However, Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson,
rejected the claims, saying Fani-Kayode misrepresented the situation and
falsely presented the president as having intervened in the matter.
Hours after Fani-Kayode’s post, the South African presidency
uploaded a separate video featuring his speech on its YouTube channel.
Tension between the two countries, however, escalated on
Saturday as the Nigerian high commission in South Africa and the South African
presidency exchanged sharp words over Fani-Kayode’s credentials presentation
ceremony.
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