Nigeria’s new ambassador, Okezie Ikpeazu, presents his credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Eduardo González Nigeria's new ambassador to Spain, Okezie Ikpeazu, presented his credentials to the Director General of Protocol, Adrián Martín Couce, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid on Monday, July 13, according to diplomatic sources who spoke to The Diplomat and were confirmed by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "The Ambassador-designate of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Spain, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, formally presented copies of his credentials today (Monday) to the Director General of Protocol, Chancellery and Orders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Madrid, Spain, Adrián Martín Couce," the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on social media. Okezie Ikpeazu thus fills a post that had been vacant since December 2022, when its previous holder, former minister Demola Seriki, passed away at the age of 63, after a year and a half posted to Madrid. During this time, the highest representation of the Embassy had been held by the Minister Counselor and Chargé d'Affaires (a.i.), Binta A. Dala. Born in October 1964 in southern Nigeria and a biochemist by training and profession, Okezie Ikpeazu has developed his political career as governor of his home state of Abia for two consecutive terms, between 2015 and 2023. His political activity began in 2002 within the ranks of the conservative People's Democratic Party (PDP). In 2006, he joined the progressive and anti-communist Progressive Peoples Alliance, until he returned to his first party in 2010, where he remains today. It so happens that the PDP is the main political rival of the All Progressives Congress, the party of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. For this reason, PDP leaders in Abia praised the head of state last March (when the appointment was announced) for choosing a political rival to represent his country in a “strategic” country like Spain, which, in their view, demonstrates “statesmanship” and a leadership style that “prioritizes experience over partisan considerations.” The president’s special advisor on information and strategy has stated that the appointment of a “political” ambassador like Ikpeazu is part of “a broader diplomatic restructuring aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s foreign relations,” in this case with Spain, “a key partner in trade, investment, and cultural exchange,” as highlighted by the Nigerian press.

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