Senate Gives Committees Two Weeks to Screen Service Chiefs, Ambassadorial Nominees

By Deji Elumoye

The Senate has given its relevant committees two weeks to screen the newly appointed service chiefs as well as non-career ambassador nominees and report back to plenary.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter requesting the confirmation of the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs was referred to the Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Airforce and Navy for further legislative work.

Buhari had in a letter to the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, dated 27th January 2021, said the screening was being sought in furtherance of Section 18 (1) of the Armed Forces Act Cap A.20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The new Service Chiefs to be screened are: Major General Lucky Irabor, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao as Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff, respectively.

The president’s other request for the confirmation of Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin (rtd); Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd); Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (rtd); Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar(rtd); and Air Vice Marshal Muhammad S. Usman (rtd) as non-career ambassador-designate was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, while referring the nomination of Victor Chinemerem Muruako for appointment as Chairman, Fiscal Responsibility Commission to the Committee on Finance, also referred the nomination of Larry Obinna Chukwu as Commissioner for the Nigerian Law Reforms to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

The committees were given two weeks to report back to the Senate.