President Bola Tinubu has requested the Senate to confirm the appointment of three non-career ambassadors, signalling a move to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic representation abroad.
Non-career ambassadors are political appointees nominated by the president rather than diplomats.
These individuals are drawn from outside the regular diplomatic corps.
The request was made in a letter addressed to the Senate and read at Wednesday’s Plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
“The nominations were made in accordance with section 171 (1), (2)(c) and (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended,” the letter stated.
Nominees for ambassadorial positions
The president nominated the following individuals for ambassadorial appointments:
Lateef Kayode Are
Lateef Kayode Are is a retired Nigerian Army Colonel best known for his long tenure as head of the country’s domestic intelligence agency. He served as Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007 under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Prior to that appointment, he had built a career in military intelligence, deploying to the Intelligence Corps shortly after graduating from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1974.
Are also holds a First Class honours degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan, graduating in 1980 at the top of his class and earning several academic prizes. He later obtained a master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos in 1987.
In 2010, he briefly served as Acting National Security Adviser (NSA) when the position became vacant before former president Goodluck Jonathan appointed General Owoye Andrew Azazi.
Aminu Mohammed Dalhatu
Aminu Mohammed Dalhatu is a seasoned diplomat with prior experience representing Nigeria abroad. He previously served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea (South Korea), presenting his letters of credence in 2017 during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
During his tenure, he managed diplomatic operations and consular services, while spearheading initiatives to boost trade, investment, and cultural exchanges. Among notable events, Dalhatu hosted high-profile dignitaries, including Reverend Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi in 2019, emphasizing Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy on the global stage.
Before his ambassadorship in South Korea, Dalhatu built a career within the Nigerian Foreign Service. He contributed to Nigeria’s foreign policy implementation across various capacities within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gaining extensive experience in international diplomacy.
He also pursued advanced diplomatic training and qualifications, equipping him with the expertise required for high-level diplomatic engagements.
Ayodele Oke
Ayodele Oke hails from Oyo State. He studied economics and political science at Emory University in Atlanta, United States. Before ascending to leadership, he served within the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) as Director (Regions), and earlier represented Nigeria at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
On November 7, 2013, he was appointed Director‑General of NIA under former President Goodluck Jonathan. His tenure lasted until October 30, 2017, when he was relieved of duty by President Muhammadu Buhari. During his time as head of Nigeria’s spy agency, he oversaw intelligence operations and internal coordination of the agency’s national security mandate.
His career has been quite controversial. In April 2017, a large sum of foreign currency and Naira was discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, premises linked to his family. The discovery triggered fraud and money‑laundering charges. The apartment was raided and the funds seized by the anti‑graft agency. Subsequently, both he and his wife were declared wanted for failing to respond to those charges. Reports suggest that a court struck out the case in 2023, clearing him of wrongdoing and ordering his reinstatement as NIA boss.
- President Tinubu urged the Senate to consider and confirm the appointments of the nominees expeditiously, while extending his assurances of highest consideration to lawmakers.
- Senator Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing the panel to report back within one week. The committee is expected to review the qualifications and suitability of the nominees before forwarding its recommendations for confirmation.
