Trump Threat: APC Using ‘Funny Friends’ for Diplomacy – Olawepo-Hashim

A senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) figure, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over what he calls Nigeria’s weak diplomatic handling of a recent threat from United States President Donald Trump. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, Olawepo-Hashim said he was unsurprised by Trump’s threat but deeply concerned about the Nigerian government’s response, which he described as lacking effective diplomatic engagement.

Olawepo-Hashim pointed to the absence of a fully functioning Nigerian ambassador in Washington for an extended period, questioning how the country could effectively present its position under such conditions. He accused the APC-led administration of relying on informal channels rather than established diplomatic frameworks, calling these moves “funny” and unprofessional.

“The ambassador represents the president abroad, not a chargé d’affaires, yet these structures have been paralyzed for years,” he said, highlighting that formal institutions like bi-national or bilateral commissions were not being properly utilised. He also warned that Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries, such as Niger Republic, had suffered due to neglect, weakening the nation’s influence on the international stage.

Olawepo-Hashim described the current administration’s foreign policy under President Tinubu as reckless and incoherent, noting that Nigeria had previously faced foreign policy crises, including tensions with Niger Republic. He argued that the mismanagement of formal diplomatic channels has undermined Nigeria’s historical reputation as a stabilising force in West Africa.