Senate postpones screening of Service Chiefs, sets up C’tees

The Senate has set up three out of 57 Standing Committees for smooth running of legislative business, pending the constitution of 54 other committees.

The Committees are Senate Services chaired by Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto East); Rules and Business, chaired by Babajide Omoworare (APC, Osun East) as well as Ethics; Code of Conduct and Public Petitions with Sam Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East) as Chairman.

Also constituted was Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Publicity, with Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) as Chairman.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, announced the composition of the committees at Wednesday’s plenary.

The composition is in line with Order 96 of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended) which stipulates that “Within the first 14 legislative days following the first sitting of the Senate” six Special Committees should be appointed. As of Wednesday, July 29, the Red Chamber has sat for seven legislative days.

The Special Committees include that of Selection; Rules and Business; Senate Services; Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions; Public Accounts as well as National Security and Intelligence.

At it stands, two Special Committees out of six have not been constituted. They include: Committees on Public Accounts as well as National Security and Intelligence.

Meanwhile, the screening of Service Chiefs earlier slated for today (Thursday) has been postponed.

This is due to the Pulling Out Parade in honour of the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh to mark his formal disengagement from Service. The event coincides with the screening.

Those earlier billed to appear before the Committee of the Whole included: Major-General Abayomi Olonishakin, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Yusuf Buratai, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff.

Recall that Saraki had on Tuesday read President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter seeking the confirmation of the upper chamber for the appointment of new Service Chiefs.

This, the President explained in the letter, was in accordance with the provisions of Section18 (1) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004.

 

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE