Tinubu nominates ambassadors to US, UK, France
By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
President Bola Tinubu has put forward the names of three non-career ambassadorial nominees for crucial postings in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
According to an announcement, the nominees are Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu. Their specific country assignments will be finalized after they undergo a screening and confirmation process by the Nigerian Senate.
The nominees bring a wealth of experience in diplomacy and security to the roles.Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu is a familiar face in foreign service, having previously served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea.
He was first appointed to that position in 2016 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ambassador Ayodele Oke, a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta, is a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
He also has prior diplomatic experience from serving as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London.
Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are has a distinguished background in security and intelligence. He was the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007 and later served as the National Security Adviser in 2010.
His career also includes serving as an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence.
A highly educated officer, he graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980.
The Senate is expected to schedule a screening date for the nominees in the coming weeks.