President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm his newly appointed Service Chiefs, signaling his administration’s commitment to renewing Nigeria’s military command structure amid persistent security challenges across the country.
The President’s request was contained in a letter read during Tuesday’s plenary by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
According to the letter, the nominees for confirmation include:
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General Olufemi Oluyede – Chief of Defence Staff
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Major-General Waheedi Shaibu – Chief of Army Staff
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Rear Admiral Idi Abbas – Chief of Naval Staff
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Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke – Chief of Air Staff
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Major-General Emmanuel Undiendeye – Chief of Defence Intelligence
President Tinubu explained that the nominations were made in accordance with Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which empowers the President to appoint Service Chiefs subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.
In the correspondence, the President urged the Senate to give the nominees expeditious consideration to enable them to effectively discharge their duties in addressing the country’s growing security threats.
After reading the letter, Senate President Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole, directing that the screening and confirmation exercise be conducted next week.
The new Service Chiefs were appointed earlier this month following the retirement of their predecessors, as part of President Tinubu’s broader effort to restructure the leadership of the Armed Forces and improve coordination among the defence services.
The Senate’s confirmation process is expected to include a review of each nominee’s professional record, operational experience, and strategic plans for restoring peace and stability across the nation.
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