- President Bola Tinubu approved Kayode Are as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to the United States
- Ayodele Oke was posted to France while Amin Dalhatu and Usman Dakingari were assigned to the UK and Turkey respectively
- A total of 67 ambassadors were confirmed, including 34 career and 33 non-career diplomats
FCT, Abuja – President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Kayode Are, former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to the United States.
The announcement was made on Thursday, January 22, in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson.
Source: UGC
Are, who hails from Ogun state, is among four high-profile nominees confirmed by the presidency. Ayodele Oke was posted as ambassador-designate to France, Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, was appointed high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom, while Usman Dakingari, former governor of Kebbi state, will serve as ambassador-designate to Turkey. President Tinubu is scheduled to visit Turkey for a state trip next week.
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Diplomatic procedures underway
The statement explained that, “In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu urged the ministry to notify the governments of the four countries about the ambassador-designates, in accordance with diplomatic procedures.”
Oke, Are, and Dalhatu were confirmed last month as non-career ambassadors, joining the first set of nominees recommended by Tinubu to the Senate in November after nearly two years of vacancies at Nigeria’s missions abroad.
Senate affirms nominees’ suitability
Senator Sani Bello, representing Niger North and chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the nominees were thoroughly screened and found fit for their respective diplomatic assignments, The Cable reported.
Source: Facebook
In November, the president forwarded 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, including notable figures such as Reno Omokri, former presidential aide; Mahmood Yakubu, former INEC chairman; Femi Fani-Kayode, former aviation minister; and Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former Oyo first lady.
Overview of confirmed ambassadors
In December, a total of 64 ambassadorial nominees were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67, including Oke, Are, and Dalhatu. Of these, 34 are career ambassadors, professional diplomats who rise through the ranks of the foreign service, while 33 are non-career ambassadors, appointed based on expertise or political considerations, Vanguard reported.
Onanuga noted that the confirmed nominees would be posted to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong and strategic bilateral relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Kenya, and to permanent missions at the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.
Jubilation as Tinubu approves commercial oil drilling for Ogun
Previously, we reported that President Bola Tinubu has approved the commencement of commercial oil drilling at Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun state.
The approval was announced by Governor Dapo Abiodun on Thursday, January 22, during a meeting with the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, and other senior naval officers at the governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.