Senate Screening Begins Soon as Abuja Rolls Out Strategic Diplomatic Picks
President Tinubu has nominated three heavyweight non-career ambassadors to represent Nigeria in the world’s most influential capitals — Washington, London and Paris — in what officials describe as a “diplomatic power move” to strengthen Nigeria’s global footprint.
The nominees are Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu. Their postings will be finalised after Senate confirmation.
Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu, returning to diplomatic service, previously served as Nigeria’s envoy to South Korea under President Buhari, following his appointment in 2016. He is widely regarded as a seasoned diplomat with a steady hand in bilateral trade and technology partnerships.
Ambassador Ayodele Oke, an alumnus of Emory University in Atlanta, brings decades of intelligence and international engagement to the table. A former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Oke also represented Nigeria at the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London, earning a reputation for quiet but effective diplomacy.
Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, famed for his deep security background, rounds off the trio. A former Director General of the State Security Service (1999–2007), he later served as National Security Adviser in 2010 and was an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence. Are graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980, a detail admirers say reflects his analytical and strategic strengths.
With postings to the United States, United Kingdom, and France—three of Nigeria’s most critical diplomatic theatres—Tinubu’s selections signal a push for experienced hands capable of navigating complex geopolitical landscapes.
Senate screening is expected to commence shortly, marking the final step before the envoys take up their strategic assignments abroad.
