The House of Representatives has confirmed the appointments of the new service chiefs nominated by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
The confirmation followed a unanimous adoption of the report by the ad hoc committee set up by the House to screen the nominees and report back.
The Chairman of the committee, Babajimi Benson, laid the report earlier at the plenary on Tuesday. It was later considered and adopted by the House.
While the House screened the nominees on Wednesday, the Senate had separately screened them on Thursday.
They are Maj. Gen. Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea lrabor – Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru – Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo – Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka O. Amao – Chief of Air staff.
They are to replace the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported on Monday that the service chiefs might be confirmed on Tuesday (today).
It reliably learnt on Saturday that the ad hoc committee set up by the House to screen the nominees is billed to lay its report on Tuesday.
In a chat with our correspondent on Saturday, Benson, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, had disclosed the level of preparedness for the report presentation.
When asked if the report was ready, Benson said the committee was putting some “finishing touches.”
Responding to another question on when the committee would lay the report before the House, the chairman said, “Tuesday.”
PUNCH
