Ambassadors: Why Tinubu opted for Oke, Dalhatu, Are

• ’Court exonerated Oke over lodging of $43m in Osborne Road apartment’

President Bola Tinubu’s Wednesday’s choice of the three ambassadors designate to the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France was driven by the urgent need for foreign collaboration to tackle insurgency and banditry in the country,The Nation gathered yesterday.

Integrity, merit and international connections/ acceptability were other factors considered by the president in settling for a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayo Oke; a former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Kayode Are; and Amb. Amin Mohammed Dalhatu,sources said.

Their names have been forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

Some critics have queried the nomination of Oke on account of the circumstances surrounding his exit from the NIA.

But fresh facts now reveal that he was exonerated of corruption by a Federal High Court in Lagos in 2023 following withdrawal of allegations of lodging over$43m in Osborne Road apartment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The trio are the first set of nominees for ambassadorial assignments by the Tinubu Presidency.

A full list is said to be on the way.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said the President decided to return to “pragmatic diplomacy which will boost the ongoing economic reforms and counter- insurgency. To Tinubu, it is merit before any consideration.

“This government has done its homework before nominating the three candidates.Some of them were even abroad when they heard the announcement. One of them was on his way from London yesterday. You can see the merit factor.

“Those three nominees have unimpeachable pedigree; they are internationally respected and they can knock any door for Nigeria. When they speak on the nation’s security situation in Nigeria or when they seek international support, they are trusted.

“They have integrity which has endeared them to the international community. They also seek truth to power. Are’s records in DSS were outstanding to the admiration of the international community.

“Amb. Amin Mohammed Dalhatu is a diplomatic of repute with a great passion for truth, accountability and transparency.  Nigeria comes first to him before any country.

“Of all security chiefs, Oke was the only person, in his capacity as the NIA boss, that submitted an accurate report that former President Goodluck Jonathan would lose the 2015 general election. He didn’t care if he was fired by the then President.

His outstanding contributions in the pursuit of Nigeria’s national interest in international environment culminated in his distinguished career at the Commonwealth Secretariat, London as Special Adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary-General and Head of Africa Department of the international organisation.

“He was also instrumental to the outstanding contributions to the organisational development of the NIA and series of operational successes the NIA recorded under him that earned him noteworthy commendations by two former Presidents…”

Oke and the $43m in Osborne road apartment

Another source confirmed that Amb. Oke was cleared of any corruption in 2023.

The source added: “As a matter of fact, the funds were for security project kept in a safe house. The EFCC acted on a false alarm. And instead of inter-agency collaboration, it went to town with the discovery.

“Many international security organisations and companies connected with the project felt embarrassed.

“A Federal High Court Order revoked the charges following EFCC’s decision to withdraw the case in June 2023 on grounds of national security. This action was duly noted and approved by the late President Muhammadu Buhari in March of the same year.

“The six-year controversy around the security lodging of $43 million, 27 thousand UK Pounds, and N23 million, belonging to the National Intelligence Agency [NIA], at an Osborne Road apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, came to an end in 2023 with the legal resolution to terminate the case.

“The presiding judge of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, Honourable Justice C.J. Aneke, struck out the case on Friday, June 9, 2023, following the decision of the prosecuting team from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and the lack of objection from the defence team led by Dr. Kayode Ajulo (SAN) of the Castle of Law Chambers.

“The EFCC withdrawal of the case followed its agreement with the NIA that on national security grounds and the fact that full forfeiture of the money required no further action.

“So there is nothing adversarial or negative on this nomination.”

When contacted, Ajulo, who is now the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, said: “The case against Amb. Oke was struck out because he didn’t embezzle any money. Based on the facts, EFCC withdrew the charges.”(The Nation)