Senate Confirms Buratai, Other Ex-Service Chiefs Ambassadors-Designate

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the immediate past Service
Chiefs as Non-Career Ambassadors-designate.

Those confirmed 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
Bulkachuwa.

Bulkachuwa said the appointments were made in line with section
171(40) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Their experiences as Service Chiefs and in the military where
they rose to the highest ranks in their careers have made them
eminently qualified and the nominees were very knowledgeable and
articulate in their response to questions directed at them by the
Committee,” Bulkachuwa said.

He added: “The Committee received petitions against their
nominations as Non-Career Ambassadors of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria but the petitions were dismissed.”

The Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, demanded an
explanation as to the rationale behind dismissal of the petition
against the nominees by the Committee, particularly against the
backdrop of the Senate resolutions in the past calling for their
removal as Service Chiefs.

But Senate President Ahmad Lawan pointed out that the Upper
Chamber’s resolution demanding their removal was in no way related
to President Buhari’s request for the Senate to confirm them as
Ambassadors-Designate saying, “these are two separate roles.”

Lawan said: “Without prejudice to what the executive will do,
where we need to fight the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry,
because of their experience in the field, they should be able to
interact very closely and sufficiently to advise and create the
atmosphere for working together, for partnership and cooperation
between Nigeria and those countries.

“So, I think on that scope, the nomination cannot be nullified
because we said they should be changed.”

The nominees were, thereafter, confirmed after a motion moved by
the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi and seconded by the Minority
Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the immediate past Service
Chiefs as Non-Career Ambassadors-designate.

Those confirmed 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
Bulkachuwa.

Bulkachuwa said the appointments were made in line with section
171(40) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Their experiences as Service Chiefs and in the military where
they rose to the highest ranks in their careers have made them
eminently qualified and the nominees were very knowledgeable and
articulate in their response to questions directed at them by the
Committee,” Bulkachuwa said.

He added: “The Committee received petitions against their
nominations as Non-Career Ambassadors of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria but the petitions were dismissed.”

The Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, demanded an
explanation as to the rationale behind dismissal of the petition
against the nominees by the Committee, particularly against the
backdrop of the Senate resolutions in the past calling for their
removal as Service Chiefs.

But Senate President Ahmad Lawan pointed out that the Upper
Chamber’s resolution demanding their removal was in no way related
to President Buhari’s request for the Senate to confirm them as
Ambassadors-Designate saying, “these are two separate roles.”

Lawan said: “Without prejudice to what the executive will do,
where we need to fight the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry,
because of their experience in the field, they should be able to
interact very closely and sufficiently to advise and create the
atmosphere for working together, for partnership and cooperation
between Nigeria and those countries.

“So, I think on that scope, the nomination cannot be nullified
because we said they should be changed.”

The nominees were, thereafter, confirmed after a motion moved by
the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi and seconded by the Minority
Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe.