Tinubu’s Military Shake-Up Faces Scrutiny as Senate Begins Confirmation Process
President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking confirmation of the recently appointed Service Chiefs.
The request, which covers the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Waheedi Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Adm. Idi Abbas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke; and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiendeye, was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.
In his correspondence, President Tinubu urged the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the nominations. The letter has been referred to the Committee of the Whole for screening and confirmation next week.
The appointments follow a recent shake-up in the military hierarchy in which Tinubu replaced Gen. Christopher Musa with Oluyede, a former Chief of Army Staff, as Chief of Defence Staff. However, Maj.-Gen. E.A.P. Undiendeye was retained as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
According to presidential aide Sunday Dare, the reshuffle was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to “strengthen the national security architecture”. “All appointments take immediate effect,” he said.
Critics, however, have questioned the timing and rationale of the changes. The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged President Tinubu to explain the reasons behind the reorganisation.
“Our position remains that the Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened,” the ADC stated in a release signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi.
“As an opposition political party, our interest remains the stability of our country and our democracy. In light of developments in our neighbourhood, particularly in Chad and the Sahel States, we are gravely concerned,” the party added.
