The Senate has rescheduled the screening of newly appointed service chiefs to Wednesday, October 29, reversing its earlier plan to hold the exercise next week.
The announcement came after Senate President Godswill Akpabio read a fresh correspondence from President Bola Tinubu during Tuesday’s plenary, seeking the confirmation of General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff.
Akpabio explained that the change was necessary to allow the new military chiefs to assume duty without delay.
President Tinubu, in his letter to the Senate, urged lawmakers to expedite the confirmation process to ensure continuity and effective coordination within the nation’s security framework.
Following the revised schedule, the screening will now be conducted by the Committee of the Whole during plenary on Wednesday.
A few days earlier, President Tinubu announced a shake-up in the military leadership, removing General Christopher Musa and appointing General Oluyede, a former Chief of Army Staff, as the new Chief of Defence Staff, while Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye was retained as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
According to presidential aide Sunday Dare, the reshuffle was part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security apparatus. "All appointments take immediate effect," he had said.
However, the decision has drawn criticism from opposition groups, with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) questioning the rationale behind the abrupt changes.
"The Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened," the ADC said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi.
"As an opposition party, our concern is the stability of the country and the preservation of democracy. Given the instability across the Sahel region and Chad, we are gravely concerned about these developments," the statement added.
READ ALSO: Musk Unveils 'Grokipedia' to Rival Wikipedia, Pledges'
Comments
Post a Comment