Senate prioritizes screening of new service chiefs, suspends debt debate

The newly appointed service chiefs have arrived at the National Assembly for screening by the Senate and House of Representatives.

The Senate on Wednesday suspended consideration of a report on external borrowing to prioritise the confirmation of the military chiefs, citing the urgency of national security matters.

Senators had begun debating the report when Tahir Monguno, the Senate chief whip, raised a point of order to suspend it. The motion was seconded by Osita Ngwu, Senate minority whip.

Following the motion, Opeyemi Bamidele, the senate leader, moved that the chamber resolve into the committee of the whole to commence the screening process.

The service chiefs, led by Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, were then admitted into the chamber.

Earlier, President Bola Tinubu had, on Tuesday, asked the senate to screen and confirm the new appointees with urgency.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read the president’s letters during their respective plenaries.

The speaker subsequently constituted a special panel chaired by Babajimi Benson, chairman of the House Committee on Defence, to screen the service chiefs.

President Tinubu had, on October 24, appointed Olufemi Oluyede as chief of defence staff, Waidi Shaibu as chief of army staff, Sunday Kelvin Aneke as chief of air staff, and Idi Abbas as chief of naval staff.

Emmanuel Akomaye Undiandeye retained his position as chief of defence intelligence.

The former service chiefs were sacked following increasing public demands for better results in security, as the country continues to grapple with terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes.

As the screening commenced, Senate Leader Bamidele moved that Oluyede should not be screened again, as he was recently grilled by the senate for his previous position as chief of army staff.

The senator also asked that lawmakers go into a closed session.