Fani-Kayode row: Nigerian mission says Ramaphosa intervened
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
The Nigerian High Commission in South Africa maintains that President Cyril Ramaphosa intervened in the dispute over the presentation of credentials by Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode. In a message posted on X, the mission describes the remarks of presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who accuses the ambassador of lying, as provocative.
The Nigerian High Commission in South Africa maintains that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa personally intervened in the dispute over the ceremony for the presentation of credentials by Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s new ambassador. The mission reaffirmed this version after statements by Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for the South African presidency, who had accused Fani-Kayode of lying about Ramaphosa’s intervention, Vanguard reports.
According to the Nigerian mission, Ramaphosa intervened after Fani-Kayode protested the omission of his speech from the ceremony held on Friday in Tshwane. The delegation says the South African president helped resolve the dispute and that Nigeria obtained the result it wanted.
The controversy follows the apparent interruption of the South African presidency’s YouTube broadcast at the moment Fani-Kayode was due to present his credentials. The Nigerian ambassador had already accused Pretoria of blocking his speech during the ceremony Fani-Kayode’s accusation against Pretoria.
