By Olukayode Idowu
The AFRPN (Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria) has concluded arrangement to organize a parley between the leadership of selected political parties and the diplomatic community.
A jointly signed statement by the President and Secretary-General of the Association, Ambassador Gani Lawal and Amb. Ridhwan Mustapha, respectively, read that: “Aware of the pivotal role party politics play in the formulation, articulation and implementation of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy, the AFRPN in line with its mandate to impact positively the foreign policy of Nigeria has invited formally the leadership of four of the contending political parties for the office of the President to rub minds with the diplomatic community as a way of deepening the understanding of the input-output system that has informed the Nigerian foreign policy options in the international arena which has served the nation well to become a leading player in Africa and the World at large.
According to the statement, the AFRPN is the foremost Nigerian diplomatic forum consisting of major stakeholders on Foreign Relations issues. Its membership spans across several institutions that deal with matters that transcend the frontiers of the nation’s borders such as serving and retired diplomatic staff and Ambassadors of Nigeria, Nigerian officials in international organisations and institutions that deal with foreign relations matters. Nigerians in the Diasporas, University professors, lecturers and students of International studies and political science, are also members of this association.
The statement revealed that the “Meet the Diplomatic Community” parley will take place at the Rotunda Hall of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Abuja at 3p.m on 10th of January, 2023, having in audience the members of the association including the foreign envoys of all countries accredited to Nigeria.
The statement revealed that each candidate will have 15 minutes to speak and 10 minutes to answer fielded questions. The chairman of the occasion is the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Sokoto State University and former VC of University of Abuja, Professor Nuhu Yaqub, who was the recipient of the Global award for Academic Excellence and pioneer President of Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA); while the moderator would be Ambassador Boladei Godknows Igali; former Nigerian Ambassador to the Scandinavian countries, and retired Federal Permanent Secretary and the Pro- Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Akure. (FUTA).
The event is expected to attract a large audience with attendant rewarding deliverables and takeaways, according to the statement.
