Kunle Adelabu
The House of Representatives has constituted an ad-hoc committee to screen the recently appointed Service Chiefs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The committee will be headed by the former Chairman, House Committee on Defense and three – term representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Benson.
Rt. Hon. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, made the announcement on Tuesday at a plenary,
He also said that all the eight principal officers of the House from the majority and minority parties would be part of the ad-hoc committee.
The Majority Caucus has Hon. (Prof.) Julius Ihonvbere (APC/Edo) as Majority Leader; Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims (APC/Kogi), Deputy Majority Leader; Hon. Bello Usman Kumo (APC/Kebbi), Chief Whip; and Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga (APC/Ogun) as Deputy Chief Whip.
The Minority Caucus equally has Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP/Rivers) as Minority Leader; Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP/Kano), Deputy Minority Leader; Hon. Ali Isa (PDP/Gombe), Minority Whip; and Hon. George Ozodinobi (LP/Anambra) as Deputy Minority Whip.
The appointees billed for screening by the committee are the new Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff.
President Tinubu had on 19th June, 2023, approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service and Advisers, and subsequently appointed their successors.
The President had conveyed the nominations to the National Assembly via a letter dated 5th July, 2023, which was addressed to President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD.
The nominees are Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser; Maj.-Gen. C.G Musa as Chief of Defence Staff; Maj.-Gen. T. A. Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal H.B. Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff; DIG Kayode Egbetokun as Acting Inspector-General of Police; and Maj.-Gen. EPA Undiandeye – Chief of Defense Intelligence.
