Tinubu writes Senate, seeks confirmation of new service chiefs
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to screen and confirm the newly appointed service chiefs.
The president’s request was conveyed in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during the plenary on Tuesday.
The nominees are Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, a general; Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, a major general; Chief of Air Staff, Kennedy Aneke, an air vice marshal; and the Chief of Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, a rear admiral.
In the letter, President Tinubu explained that the request was made in accordance with Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
After reading the letter, Mr Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for consideration, noting that the screening and confirmation of the nominees would take place next week.
President Tinubu, on 25 October, announced the appointment of the new service chiefs after relieving their predecessors of their duties. However, he retained the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Emmanuel Undiendeye, a major general.
At the time, the presidency said the shakeup was a strategic realignment aimed at deepening professionalism, boosting morale, and enhancing inter-agency coordination in national security operations.
The newly appointed service chiefs met with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, where they reportedly discussed the nation’s security challenges ahead of their formal assumption of duty and Senate confirmation.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the development comes weeks after the arrest of 16 senior military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the federal government.
Although the presidency has not linked the appointments to the alleged coup plot, the timing has drawn significant public attention.