The Senate has confirmed the appointment of the service chiefs nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The service chiefs confirmed by the senate include: Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu.
Despite the directive from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition did not raise any objection during the consideration of the report on the screening of the service chiefs.
The Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee on Defence, Sen. George Sekibo, presented the report of the screening and recommended that the nominees be approved because they found them to be competent to do the job.
The Senate cleared the military chiefs without a dissenting voice.
The Senate Minority Leader, Sen. George Akume, explained that the APC was not against their appointments.
“I wish to state here that we at the other side are in full support of the appointments of Chief of Defence Staff and service chief,” Akume said.
While encouraging the new service chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them by Nigerians, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, urged them to put their wealth of experience into use in the discharge of their duties.
The lawmakers also continued the debate on the general principles of the 2014 Appropriation Bill. However, the debate was not concluded and it’s expected to continue on the next legislative day, that is Tuesday, February 4, 2014.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had on January 16, nominated, Air Marshal Alex Badeh as the new CDS to replace, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim.
He also nomiated Maj. Gen Tobiah Minimah, as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, as Chief of Naval Staff, and Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu, as Chief of Air Staff.
They replaced Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, (COAS); Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, (CNS), and Badeh, who was elevated to CDS.
President Jonathan had forwarded the names of the service chiefs to the Senate for confirmation.
The officers have since assumed duties in their new offices.
