The senate committee on foreign affairs on Wednesday cleared Ayodele Oke, Kayode Are and Aminu Dalhatu after an intense screening session at the national assembly.
President Bola Tinubu sent the three candidates to the upper house as part of the first batch.
The discussion centred on national security, prior service records, and controversy surrounding past operations actions.
Oke, a former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), formerly worked as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.
Are is a former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), while Dalhatu was Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea.
The screening took a dramatic turn when Oke addressed claims that had appeared in the media following his nomination announcement.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced in April 2017 that it uncovered $43 million, £27,000, and N23 million in an Ikoyi flat following a tip from a whistleblower.
Following reports that the money belonged to the NIA during Oke’s tenure, TheCable later reported that the agency collected $289,202,382 in cash from the National Petroleum Investment Management Services account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in February 2015, after the general election was postponed.
Oke thanked the Senate for the chance to react, stating that the problems addressed were “already in the public domain”.
He asked the committee for permission to talk about the issues, noting that while he would not share key operational specifics, he was willing to give explanations.
Oke stated that the NIA made “unprecedented progress — organisational, operational, and infrastructural” during his head between 2013 and 2017.
He claimed to have created “the best conference centre in the country,” despite the fact that the area was undeveloped when he took office.
The candidate stated that the agency achieved heights it had never touched in its preceding three decades.
Speaking about the controversial covert operation associated to his term, Oke stated that the “clandestine operation” was approved by two presidents and carried out only for the sake of national security.
He cited author Philip Yancey and related his experience to those of biblical heroes such as Joseph, Job, Esther, and Ruth, claiming that he endured the turmoil “with equanimity”.
Oke said his 38-year public service career was defined by three main principles: God, nation, and honour.
He stated that the incident had a profound impact on him and his family, adding that his 86-year-old mother died during the period, owing in part to sorrow induced by “lies and damaging narratives”.
Members of the committee praised Oke for his responses and recognised the gravity of the concerns addressed.
Committee head Sani Bello advised the nominees to formally engage senators from their home states, since endorsement from at least two state senators is still required for clearing.
He said all three nominees had outstanding credentials based on decades of experience in diplomacy, intelligence, and public administration.
Bello characterised their selection as “a very good choice,” noting that they had showed competence and preparation for the next duties.
After discussions, the committee unanimously recommended that the three nominees be confirmed.
