Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) chapters in Africa, the Americas and the United Kingdom have disowned a September 18 statement issued under the banner of “NIDO Worldwide” over the Auditor-General for the Federation’s observations concerning the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
In separate statements issued between September 21 and 28, the NIDO Africa, NIDO Americas and NIDO UK chapters said they neither authorised nor approved the publication and rejected any suggestion that it represented their positions or those of their members.
NIDO Africa, through its Public Relations Officer, Hon. Folaji Emmanuel Adura, specifically disputed the description of Dr Olufemi Fatoye as Chairman of NIDO Africa, stating that Professor Jude Osakwe remains the Continental Chairman, with his first tenure running until May 2027.
The organisation said its Executive Council and chapter presidents were not consulted before the September 18 statement was issued, stressing that individuals without a valid mandate could not bind the continental body or speak in its name.
NIDO Africa, however, said its position was about representation and authority rather than the substance of the Auditor-General’s observations, adding that it supports transparency and accountability in public institutions, including those dealing with Nigerians in the diaspora.
It consequently called on the signatories to the disputed statement to publish the process through which it was approved, provide the constitutional basis and mandates of the individuals who signed it, correct references describing Dr Fatoye as Chairman of NIDO Africa and clarify whether they were aware of pending legal proceedings concerning his claim to the office.
Similarly, NIDO Americas said it neither authorised nor approved the “NIDO Worldwide” statement and that its Executive Council and chapter presidents were not consulted.
Signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the NIDO Americas Board of Trustees, the statement said any publication claiming to represent the five continental bodies must be supported by documented approval and a valid mandate from each organisation.
NIDO Americas also reaffirmed its governance structure, noting that the Nigerian government, through the Nigerian Embassy in the United States, had facilitated a unification process leading to the election of new officers to the NIDOA USA Board of Directors.
The organisation said its partnership with NiDCOM remained intact and called on government institutions to engage recognised representatives operating under established governance structures and verified mandates.
In the United Kingdom, the NIDO UK Chapter also rejected the September 18 publication, with its Chairman, Cllr Taslim Gbaja-Biamila, stating that neither the chapter nor its members had mandated any individual or organisation to speak on their behalf.
The UK chapter stressed that the Nigerian diaspora is diverse and globally dispersed, and that no self-appointed individual or body could legitimately claim a universal mandate to represent diaspora organisations without a clearly established and democratically conferred mandate.
On the Auditor-General’s report, NIDO UK said audit observations should not be treated as findings of criminal liability or proof of wrongdoing, stressing that the issues should be addressed through established oversight mechanisms, documentary evidence and due process.
The chapter also welcomed NiDCOM’s stated readiness to cooperate with relevant authorities and provide documentation required to address the observations.
NIDO UK further expressed its continued confidence in NiDCOM Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while maintaining that no public institution should be exempted from scrutiny.
The chapter urged all diaspora leaders and organisations to exercise restraint and ensure that public discourse is guided by facts, due process and respect for recognised institutional structures.
The three NIDO statements therefore converged on the position that the Auditor-General’s observations should be addressed through appropriate constitutional and oversight channels, while disputing the authority of the September 18 “NIDO Worldwide” statement to speak on behalf of the continental and national NIDO structures.
