The Nigerian Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on June 19, 2023 appointed new Chief of Defence Staff (Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa), Chief of Army Staff (Major General Taoreed A Lagbaja), Chief of Naval Staff (Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla ) and Chief of the Air Staff (Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar).
The top security Chiefs that were confirmed on Thursday are Major General Christopher G Musa as Chief of Defence Staff; Major General T.A Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla as Chief Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal H. B. Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff.
Prior to the confirmation, the Service Chiefs went into a closed door session where the Senators engaged them from 12.42pm to 2.59pm.
To begin the process, the Service Chiefs arrived the National Assembly Complex at about 10.00am for an appointment that was slated for 11.00am.
They were still outside the Chamber until the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabío acknowledged their presence during the plenary.
After their presence were acknowledged through a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Bamidele Opeyemi, Senate President suspended Order their Order 60 in the Senate Standing Orders 2022 as Amended to enable the Chamber attend to them.
Opeyemi said: “That the Senate do consider the request of Mr President and Commander-in -Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the confirmation of the nomination of Service Chiefs.”
At this point, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on National Assembly Matters( Senate), Senator Abdullahi Gumel ushered the Service Chiefs to the hallowed chamber.
Thereafter, the visitors to the Senate were given two minutes each to introduce themselves before the Chamber dissolved into a Committee of the whole behind closed doors at 12. 42pm.
Recall that President Tinubu had on Tuesday written the Senate, seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation of the new Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs.
The request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio who read the letter during Plenary, said that the request was in line with the Act establishing the Armed Forces.
@Vanguard
