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 followed the reading of a letter from President Bola Tinubu by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, seeking confirmation of the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede.
Akpabio explained that the change was necessary to allow the new military chiefs to assume duty without delay. President Tinubu had earlier urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process to ensure continuity and effective coordination of the nation’s security architecture.
With the revised schedule, the Committee of the Whole will conduct the screening during plenary on Wednesday.
A few days ago, President Tinubu approved a major shake-up in the military hierarchy, removing General Christopher Musa and appointing General Oluyede, a former Chief of Army Staff, as the new Chief of Defence Staff. Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye was, however, retained as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
According to presidential aide Sunday Dare, the reshuffle was part of the administration’s effort “to strengthen the national security architecture,” adding that all appointments took immediate effect.
However, the decision has drawn criticism from some quarters. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged the President to clarify the reasons behind the changes, describing the move as “abrupt.”
“The Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened,” the ADC said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi.
The party added that, as an opposition group, its primary concern remains the stability of the country and the preservation of democracy, especially “in light of developments in neighbouring Chad and the Sahel States.”
