The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Major General Waheedi Shaibu as Nigeria’s new Chief of Army Staff, giving him the go-ahead to assume duty immediately.
His confirmation came barely an hour after the upper chamber also cleared General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, signalling the commencement of the screening of President Bola Tinubu’s newly appointed service chiefs.
The exercise, held under tight security at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, featured both open and closed-door sessions, during which senators scrutinised the nominees’ credentials and leadership capacity.
Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the confirmation as a constitutional duty aimed at ensuring that only capable and patriotic officers lead Nigeria’s armed forces.
“There’s no need to ask too many questions since we’ll engage them further in a closed session,” Akpabio noted, before directing Shaibu to “take a bow and assume office.”
Senator Isah Jubrin (Kogi East), who spoke glowingly of Shaibu, vouched for his integrity and professionalism, saying, “I have known him for 30 years. Shaibu is humble, disciplined, and dedicated — the kind of leader our Army needs.”
With the confirmation of both Shaibu and Oluyede, the Senate has set the tone for the speedy approval of all service chiefs nominated by President Tinubu in his renewed effort to reposition Nigeria’s security architecture.
