The Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Wole Oke, has addressed recent social-media commentary suggesting an improper interaction with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Michael Freeman, describing such claims as misleading and unfounded.
In a statement issued by his office on Thursday, Hon. Oke clarified that the engagement with the Israeli envoy was officially sanctioned and processed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in line with established diplomatic and parliamentary protocols.
“The request for the Ambassador’s visit was officially transmitted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and processed via the National Assembly’s protocol channels,” the statement read. “It was neither a private nor a personal request, and the correspondence for this engagement dates back to April 2025.”
According to the statement signed by Tunji Iyanda, Senior Legislative Aide to Hon. Oke, the meeting falls strictly under parliamentary diplomacy a standard legislative practice that allows lawmakers to engage foreign envoys on issues of national and international interest.
The lawmaker reaffirmed Nigeria’s consistent policy stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing support for the Two-State Solution as adopted by the United Nations, alongside respect for international law and advocacy for Palestinian self-determination.
Hon. Oke dismissed insinuations that the meeting signaled any shift in Nigeria’s foreign policy, describing such narratives as attempts to misrepresent parliamentary functions and undermine institutional integrity.
“Nigeria’s foreign policy remains guided by principles of peace, justice, and respect for international norms,” the statement added. “All engagements with foreign missions are conducted transparently and in the best interest of Nigeria and Africa as a whole.”
The release further disclosed that several other foreign envoys have recently paid similar courtesy visits to Hon. Oke and other government officials at both the national and subnational levels.
Reaffirming his commitment to balanced diplomacy, Hon. Oke also expressed his readiness to meet with the Ambassador of Palestine to Nigeria “at the shortest possible notice.”
The statement concluded with a renewed pledge to uphold transparency, integrity, and accountability in Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements.
