By Adesakin Adefemi
Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has explained why he has yet to assume duties in his country of posting. He attributed the delay to ongoing activities related to the World Cup being jointly hosted by Mexico and the United States.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Omokri dismissed claims that the Mexican government had rejected him. He described such reports as opposition-driven narratives with no basis in reality.
According to the former presidential aide, Mexico is currently preoccupied with preparations and commitments associated with the global football tournament. He said this has affected diplomatic processes, including the reception of foreign envoys.
“Mexico has not rejected me. Not at all. You should understand that Mexico is currently hosting the World Cup alongside the United States of America, and all their focus is on that,” he said.
Omokri noted that he is not the only ambassador-designate yet to resume at his assigned post. He added that several of his colleagues are facing similar delays due to the tournament.
“Most of us ambassadors have not resumed. So, I’m not the only one. A lot of my colleagues are in my situation, but it’s okay. These things happen,” he stated.
He insisted that reports suggesting he had been rejected by Mexico were politically motivated and should not be taken seriously. “The opposition will always say things like I have been rejected. We do not work on the basis of the opposition. We work on the basis of reality,” Omokri added.
The ambassador-designate also expressed confidence that countries maintaining diplomatic relations with Nigeria respect the country. He said Mexico would receive its accredited representatives in due course after the World Cup activities.
Omokri further weighed in on the 2027 presidential election during the interview. He dismissed suggestions that opposition figures are better positioned to defeat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, citing the president’s political consistency since 1989 as a key advantage.
