Senate confirms Buratai, other ex-service chiefs as ambassadors, Abaribe kicks

 

Senate on Wednesday confirmed the immediate past service chiefs as non-career ambassadors, following earlier request by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Those confirmed by the Senate include the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and former Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshall Muhammad Usman.

The confirmation followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Senator Adamu Mohammad Bulkachuwa.

The Senate Minority Leader Enyinaya Abaribe, had questioned the nomination and confirmation of the ex-service chiefs when the Senate had on three different occasions called for their sack.

Senator Abaribe also questioned why the petitions against the former service chiefs were dismissed without explanations.

But Senate President Ahmad Lawan dismissed Senator Abaribe’s concerns, ruling that the nomination of the former service chiefs cannot be nullified simply because the upper chamber had called for their sack, noting that this is totally a different assignment.

The Senate President promptly stopped any further debate on the matter.

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In his concluding statement, Senator Lawan added that the former service chiefs have served the country to the best of their abilities.

He urged the Executive to utilise their experiences as much as possible and they should be posted to countries where they will be useful.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier on February 4, nominated the immediate past service chiefs of the nation as ambassadors.

The former service chiefs were appointed as non-career ambassadors-designate a week after their replacement with new officers.

They were said to have tendered their resignation from their positions amid heightened calls that they should be sacked due to the disturbing rate of insecurity in the country.

Also, on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari urged the Senate to consider and confirm Haliru Nababa for appointment as the Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS).

Senate President Ahmad Lawan read Buhari’s letter of request on the floor at plenary.