Senate Begins Screening Of CDS, Service Chiefs
The Senate has begun the screening of Lt.-General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, and the newly-appointed service chiefs.
To begin the process, the CDS and other Service Chiefs were ushered into the hallowed chamber at 12.46p.m.
The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) had moved that since the Senate had earlier screened and cleared Oluyede for the position of the Chief of Army Staff, there was no need for him to be screened again.
At this point, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio overruled him, saying since he is being appointed into a new opposition, it was pertinent for him to speak to the Senators about himself, his career and his experience so far especially as Chief of Army Staff.
The service chiefs
At press time, General Oluyede was addressing the Senate.
Also at the chamber for the screening are the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Waheedi Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General Emmanuel Undiendeye and Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru are also at the Chamber.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had written the Senate, seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation of the newly appointed Service chiefs.
The President’s letter was read on Tuesday by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
According to the letter, the Service Chiefs are Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Waheedi Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke.
Akpabio thereafter referred it to the committee of the whole for screening and confirmation of the nominees.
The newly appointed service chiefs on Wednesday arrived at the National Assembly for their screening by the Senate.
They were sighted at the National Assembly Complex around 10 a.m., accompanied by other senior military officers.
The Senate had earlier rescheduled the screening to Wednesday, October 29, from its initial plan to hold it next week. The decision followed a correspondence from President Bola Tinubu, which Senate President Godswill Akpabio read on the floor, requesting the confirmation of General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff.
Akpabio explained that the adjustment was necessary to allow the new military chiefs to assume their duties without delay.
President Tinubu had, in his letter, urged the Senate to fast-track the confirmation process to ensure continuity and effective coordination within the nation’s security architecture.
Recall that Tinubu approved a shake-up in the military hierarchy, appointing General Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff to replace General Christopher Musa.
He also named Major-General W. Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S. K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.
