Trump snubs Tinubu: Nigeria left out as US hosts African leaders

The exclusion of Nigeria from a high-profile US-Africa summit hosted by former President Donald Trump has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures, who call it a damning indictment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and its dwindling global relevance. On July 9, Trump is scheduled to welcome leaders from five African nations —Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal —to the White House for discussions centered on commercial opportunities. Notably absent from the list is Nigeria, once touted as Africa’s diplomatic heavyweight. In a strongly worded statement, Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the snub as “a verdict—scathing symbolism and staggering in implication.” He argued that Nigeria’s exclusion is not a mistake but “a reflection of Tinubu’s chaotic presidency and the collapse of our diplomatic standing.” Is Nigeria’s Int’l Status at Stake? Shaibu accused Tinubu of tarnishing Nigeria’s leadership legacy in West Africa, particularly during his tenure as chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). “Tinubu inherited an ECOWAS of 15 member states and left it gasping for breath with three countries pulling out and 40% of its land mass gone,” he said. He also dismissed the widely-held belief that Gilbert Chagoury, a major donor to the Clinton Foundation, could leverage influence with Trump, describing the notion as a “mirage.” “From Giant of Africa to diplomatic ghost — Tinubu has finished the job. He has squandered our legacy, diluted our stature, and silenced our voice on the world stage,” Shaibu lamented. He concluded by affirming that the opposition, through the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, is determined to “rescue Nigeria from these urban bandits,” adding: “We will not mourn in silence… the mission to reclaim Nigeria’s honour has already begun.”