The senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of the Ex-Service Chiefs as Non-Career Ambassadors.
They include former Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai; and the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
Others are former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, and the former Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air vice Marshal Mohammed Usman.
President Buhari had on the 5 of February, sent their names to the senate to be confirmed as non-career ambassadors.
The nomination by the President had received several backlashes from Nigerians who believed the ex-service chiefs did not merit the position and would shield them from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged abuses committed by the Nigerian military under their watch.
But the Senate despite calling for their sack countless number of times during their stay in service deems it fit to confirm the nomination as the Senate President Ahmad Lawan dismissed Senator Abaribe’s concerns, ruling that the nomination of the former service chiefs cannot be nullified simply because the upper chamber had called for their sack.
The senate leader stopped any further debate on the matter, noting that it was totally a different assignment.
The Senate Minority Leader Enyinaya Abaribe had questioned the nomination and confirmation of the ex-service chiefs when the Senate had on three different occasions called for their sack.
Abaribe had also questioned why the petitions against the former service chiefs were dismissed without explanations.
The former service chiefs were screened by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on February 18.
