The House of Representatives on Wednesday 19 July 2023 confirmed the appointments of service chiefs who were recently appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The confirmation followed the adoption of the report of the adhoc committee constituted by the House to screen the service chiefs, headed by Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).
The report, laid on the floor of the House on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, was titled, "Ad-hoc Committee on the Screening of Nominees for Appointment as Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
The Committee recommended that "the House do consider the Report of the Ad-hoc Committee on the Screening of Nominees for Appointment as Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and approve recommendations therein.
"(i) That Major-General Christopher Gwabin Musa, be CONFIRMED as the CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; having successfully undergone the screening process of this committee;
"(ii) That Major-General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, be CONFIRMED as the CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; having successfully undergone the screening process of this committee;
"(iii) That Rear Admiral Emmanuel lkechukwu Ogalla, be CONFIRMED as the CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; having successfully undergone the screening process of this committee;
"(iv) That Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, be CONFIRMED as the CHIEF OF AIR STAFF of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; having successfully undergone the screening process of this committee."
Giving the synopsis of the report, Rep. Benson said the Service Chiefs were invited, and that all of them were present for screening.
He said they responded to questions bordering on security, inter-agency relationship, funding, discipline, international cooperation, security architecture and delivery, among others.
After his presentation, the House went ahead to adopt the report of the adhoc committee.
The committee had the principal officers of the House, namely Majority Leader, Hon. (Prof.) Julius Ihonvbere (APC/Edo); Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims (APC/Kogi); Chief Whip, Hon. Bello Usman Kumo (APC/Kebbi); and the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga (APC/Ogun).
Others are the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP/Rivers); Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP/Kano); Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isa (PDP/Gombe); and the Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. George Ozodinobi (LP/Anambra).
The Senate confirmed the appointment of the service chiefs last Thursday.