Boma Achenimie 
Following the rigorous grilling process on Thursday, the Senate has finally approved President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of the newly appointed Service Chiefs.
The confirmation came after the Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), had his motion reviewed and approved.
It would be recalled that the Chief Defense Staff and the services chiefs are on June 19, 2023, appointed by President Tinubu and have since started working, making the screening and confirmation a formality.
Major General Taoreed Lagbaja is the Chief of the Army Staff. Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla is the Chief of the Navy. Air Vice Marshall Hassan Abubakar is the Chief of the Air Staff. Christopher Musa is the Chief of the Defence Staff.
After Thursday’s vetting procedure, they will be sworn into their respective positions.
The Senate suspended Order 1B and Rule 1B prior to their confirmation in order to allow for the entrance of outsiders into its chamber.
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The nominated service chiefs, Abdullahi Gumel, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), and others were allowed entry.
The service heads then alternated in outlining their professional histories and experiences before the Senate adjourned into a closed session to screen the nominees for three hours.
In his speech, Musa reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to serving Nigerians in accordance with the constitution’s guiding principles.
He said, “Under my watch, the Armed Forces shall continue to serve the Nigerian people dutifully and in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other extant provisions of the law for the federation.”
Ogalla assured Nigerians that he was completely qualified for the position and pledged to do his utmost to raise the standard he met.
Ogalla stated, “I fully understand the challenges facing the Nigerian Navy. In line with our statutory roles, which are the defence of the nation’s territorial integrity of the maritime domain as well as the policing roles of protecting the nation’s resources and contribution to military aid to the civil power, I am fully prepared to carry out these roles.”
To fulfil the President’s wish for peace and security in the nation, Abubakar declared he would mobilise the nation’s air force.
He said, “On assumption of office as the acting Chief of Air Staff, on the 19th of June 2023, I reiterated my commitment to reinvigorating our fight against terrorism, insurgency and other security threats facing our dear nation.
“I also noted two key attributes of cooperation and joint-ness which have been instrumental in the successes so far recorded in our counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts, which we intend to hold in line with Mr President’s directive as outlined during the maiden National Security Council meeting.”
Lagbaja, on his part, noted that the country in the past two decades had gone through challenging security situations that had impacted adversely on the economic, social, and political lives.
He said, “The feat of our founding fathers is that of a strong, prosperous, globally competitive and influential nation. However, today’s painful reality is that insecurity has distorted our developmental plan and aspiration as Nigerians.”
“I know that the Nigerian Army that I have been nominated to lead is a crucial component of our military instrument of national power.
“It is the largest, most complex, most geographically spread and often, most sought after, when security situations go sour.
“For the Nigerian Army to grapple with the demands of the contemporary security environment, it must consistently transform to be a step ahead of its time.”
He said if confirmed by the Senate “and given the uncommon mandate to lead the Nigerian Army during this period, I shall do my best to justify the confidence reposed in me by His Excellency and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and the larger Nigerian society.”
