Reps Confirm Appointment Of New Service Chiefs

The House of Representatives on Tuesday confirmed the appointments of the newly appointed service chiefs.

AllNews had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari last week sent the names of the services chiefs to the Senate for confirmation after he announced their appointment on January 26.

The green chamber 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.

According to the committee chairman, the nominees were thoroughly screened and certified fit for their positions. The service chiefs are also being screened by the Senate Committee on Defense.

The process had commenced last Wednesday when the new appointees were called upon to share their portfolios as well as their vision if they are confirmed to take on the new roles.

READ ALSO: Senate Confirms Nomination of Ex-Service Chiefs as Ambassadors

Their confirmation by the House of Reps today comes shortly after the Senate nominated the immediate past service chiefs as non-career ambassadors, despite criticisms in some quarters.

While the House screened the nominees on Wednesday, the Senate had separately screened them on Thursday.

The confirmed service chiefs are Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff; Ibrahim Attahiru, chief of army staff; Awwal Gambo, chief of naval staff; and Isiaka 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.

Recall that President Buhari had in January relieved the former Service Chiefs of their positions amidst growing concerns of insecurity in many parts of the country  and appointed these new service chiefs to take the mantle of leadership.