President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday sent the names of the immediate past service chiefs among others to the Senate for confirmation as non-career ambassadors-designate.
According to a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the Presidential request to the Senate is the confirmation of the immediate past Service Chiefs vis-a vis, Gen Abayomi G. Olonisakin (Rtd ), Lt Gen Tukur Y. Buratai (Rtd), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd). Other included are retired Chief of Defense Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd).
“President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of the immediate past Service Chiefs to the Senate as non-career Ambassadors-Designate.
“In a letter to Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, President of the Senate, the President said: ‘In accordance with section 171 (1), (2) (c) & sub-section (4) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed five (5) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate’.
“The nominees are: Gen Abayomi G. Olonisakin (Rtd ), Lt Gen Tukur Y. Buratai (Rtd), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd).
“The President urged the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the nominations,” the statement said.
Recall that the former service chiefs were retired from service just last week Tuesday, after occupying their positions for almost six years.
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have condemned the president’s action, describing it as a conspiracy theory to give diplomatic immunity to the ex- service chiefs in order to evade prosecution for crimes they committed against humanity during their stay in office.
