Abuja: The National Development Initiative (NDi) has commended President Bola Tinubu for nominating Amb Ayodele Oke as one of the candidates for an ambassadorial post recently forwarded to the Senate. The NDi’s acknowledgment comes as Oke, a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), is recognized for his extensive expertise in international diplomacy and strategic intelligence.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Olatunji Ariyomo, the NDi Chair on Policy and Strategic Development, described Oke as a distinguished career diplomat with over three decades of experience in international diplomacy, foreign affairs, intelligence, and national security. Ariyomo praised President Tinubu for conducting what he referred to as a meticulous and patriotic search for ambassadorial candidates. He emphasized that the current challenges facing Nigeria require profound knowledge, vast experience, patriotism, and the ability to mobilize international allies.
Ariyomo also addressed recent attempts to undermine Oke’s nomination, referencing the 2017 incident involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the discovery of 43 million dollars in operational funds at the Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos. He dismissed these concerns as a malicious plot, asserting that Oke was a victim in the incident due to his counter-intelligence efforts against internal sabotage and security contradictions.
Highlighting the merit of Oke’s nomination, Ariyomo stated that President Tinubu has corrected a public injustice and rectified a wrong from 2017, where intelligence-finance procedures were misrepresented to justify Oke’s removal as Director-General of the NIA. Ariyomo pointed out that maintaining cash outside conventional channels is a standard practice in intelligence work, a fact known to both the EFCC and the administration of President Buhari at the time.
Ariyomo explained that, following Oke’s removal, President Buhari invited both the EFCC and Oke to discuss the matter, leading to the quiet discontinuation of all cases against Oke. He emphasized that this resolution signified the mission’s accomplishment in addressing the issue.