Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has thrown his weight behind Nigeria's ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, describing him as the right person to handle diplomatic relations with the country amid the growing controversy over his treatment by South African authorities.
Sani said South Africa needed someone capable of responding appropriately to different situations, depending on the approach adopted by the other party.
The former lawmaker made the remark in a post on his X handle on Sunday.
“Fani Kayode is the best choice for South Africa at this material time. 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’,” he wrote.
His comment comes amid growing diplomatic tension between Nigeria and South Africa following accusations by the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa and the South African Presidency over the alleged exclusion of Nigeria's ambassador from a livestream of a diplomatic ceremony.
Fani-Kayode had accused the South African Presidency of deliberately excluding Nigeria's delegation from the livestream of the presentation of his letter of credence to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.
The ceremony, held in Pretoria, involved 15 ambassadors presenting their letters of credence to the South African leader.
The allegation triggered an exchange of accusations between the Nigerian High Commission and the South African Presidency, sparking reactions from Nigerians and South Africans on social media on Saturday.
South Africa needs ‘Sakiya’ diplomacy - Shehu Sani backs Fani-Kayode