The Senate has fixed today for the screening and confirmation of the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, and other service chiefs.

The decision followed a formal request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, conveyed in two separate letters to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and read during plenary today.

In the letters, President Tinubu cited Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as the legal basis for the nominations and urged the Senate to give the matter urgent consideration.

After reading the correspondence, Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole and announced that the confirmation would hold today.

Akpabio said the decision to screen all the service chiefs simultaneously was in the interest of national security and operational stability, noting that prompt confirmation would enable the new military leadership to assume duty without delay.

“This matter is of utmost national importance. A swift confirmation process will ensure seamless transition and enhance coordination in our ongoing efforts to combat insecurity,” Akpabio stated.

President Tinubu had, on Sunday, appointed Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff to replace General Christopher Musa. Also appointed were Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.

The Senate’s move to expedite the confirmation process reflects a collaboration between the Executive and Legislature toward strengthening national defence leadership and ensuring continuity in military operations.

MEANWHILE, the Kogi-East Elders Council (KEEC) has congratulated Major General Waidi Shaibu on his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, describing his elevation as well-deserved and timely.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Chairman, Prof. Godwin Ogbadu, and the Secretary-General, Dr Rekiya Momoh-Abaji, the council commended Shaibu’s record of dedication, discipline, and patriotism throughout his military career, noting that his rise to the top command position reflected hard work and integrity.

The elders described his appointment as a “round peg in a round hole,” expressing confidence that his leadership would strengthen the Nigerian Army’s operations, especially amid growing national security challenges.

The appointment of Major General Shaibu, a native of Kogi State, has been hailed across the state as a source of pride and inspiration to the indigenes of Kogi-East and the nation at large.