Ambassador- designate: Why we confirmed ex-service chiefs-Senate

The Senate Tuesday confirmed the nominations of the former Service Chiefs as Ambassadors-Designate.

This is an effort by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( PDP Abia South), to stop the confirmation failed .

Confirmation of the nominees followed consideration of the report to that effect by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The former Service Chiefs confirmed are: General Abayomi G. Olonisakin (Rtd), Ekiti; Lt. General Tukur Y. Buratai (Rtd), Borno; Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete E. Ibas (Rtd), Cross River; and Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (Rtd), Bauchi.

Also confirmed was Air Vice Marshal Muhammad S. Usman (Rtd), Kano.

In his presentation for confirmation of appointments of the former Service Chiefs, the chairman of the committee , Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa ( APC Bauchi North), said their appointments were made in line with section 171(40) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

He said: “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 that the nominees were very knowledgeable and articulate in their response to questions directed at them by the committee.”

He stated in the report that: “The committee received petitions against their nominations as Non-Career Ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but the petitions were dismissed.

But the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, while coming under a point of order, demanded explanation as to the rationale behind the 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.

Responding, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan , pointed out that the Senate resolution demanding their removal was in no way related to President Buhari’s request for the Senate to confirm them as ambassadors-designate.

“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. These are two separate roles”, he said.

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