Your ambassadorial nominee is too old says the U.S to Buhari

President Buhari’s 82-year-old Ambassadorial nominee to United States may be rejected for not being a “dynamic, energetic person”, Matthew Page, a former U.S intelligence community expert, has said.

Recall that Sylvanus Nsofor’s nomination as Ambassador to the U.S had sparked controversy when President Buhari sent his name to the Nigerian Senate.

The Senate had rejected him after a report by the Department of State Service (DSS) advised that the ambassadorial nominee “will not be able to perform the duty of an officer due to his advanced age.”

Regardless, the Presidency sent the 82-year-old’s name back to upper legislative chamber for reconsideration, after which he was confirmed on June 7 for the job.

But Mr Page, in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show, said the US is uncomfortable with posting Nsofor to resume at its Washington DC office.

“This chap made headlines when he was nominated as an ambassador by Buhari. He is a very well respected Nigerian but his disadvantage is that he is 82-year-old,” Page said.

“What I am hearing is that the US government is very uneasy about agreeing to have this ambassador posted to Washington because that is an extremely arduous drop.

“You have a growing schedule and its one of Nigeria’s largest overseas embassies to manage. This is something that needs a very dynamic and energetic person with an enormous constitution.