Senate foreign affairs committee clears Oke, Are, Dalhatu for ambassadorial roles

The senate committee on foreign affairs on Wednesday cleared Ayodele Oke, Kayode Are and Aminu Dalhatu after an intense screening session at the national assembly.

The three nominees were part of the first batch transmitted to the upper chamber by President Bola Tinubu.

The session focused on national security, previous service records and controversies linked to past operational decisions.

Oke, a former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Commonwealth secretariat in London.

Are is a former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), while Dalhatu served as Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea.

OKE RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS

The screening took a dramatic turn when Oke addressed allegations that had resurfaced in the media after his nomination was announced.

In April 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it discovered $43 million, £27,000 and N23 million in a flat in Ikoyi after a tip-off from a whistleblower.

Following reports that the money belonged to the NIA under Oke’s watch, TheCable later reported that the agency collected $289,202,382 in cash from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in February 2015 after the general election was postponed.

Oke thanked the senate for the opportunity to respond, saying the issues they raised were “already in the public domain”.

He sought the committee’s permission to speak on the concerns, adding that while he would not reveal sensitive operational details, he was ready to provide clarifications.

Oke said under his leadership, between 2013 and 2017, the NIA recorded “unprecedented progress — organisational, operational and infrastructural”.

He said he built “the best conference centre in the country”, noting that the land was an empty field when he assumed office.

The nominee maintained that the agency reached heights it had never attained in its previous three decades.

Speaking on the controversial covert operation linked to his tenure, Oke said the “clandestine operation” received approval from two presidents and was executed strictly in the interest of national security.

He quoted author Philip Yancey and compared his experience to biblical figures such as Joseph, Job, Esther and Ruth, saying he bore the turbulence “with equanimity”.

Oke said he relied on three guiding principles — God, country and honour — which shaped his 38-year career in public service.

He said the ordeal deeply affected him and his family, noting that his 86-year-old mother died during the period, partly from distress caused by “lies and damaging narratives”.

Members of the committee commended Oke for his explanations and acknowledged the sensitivity of the issues raised.

Committee chair Sani Bello reminded the nominees to formally consult senators from their home states because endorsement from at least two state senators remains a requirement for clearance.

He said all three nominees presented strong credentials drawn from decades of work in diplomacy, intelligence and public administration.

Bello described their nomination as “a very good choice”, adding that they had demonstrated competence and readiness for the assignments ahead.

At the end of deliberations, the committee unanimously recommended the confirmation of the three nominees.