President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to confirm the appointment of Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the substantive Chief of Army Staff.
This was disclosed in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s spokesman, on Friday, November 22.
The letter to the Senate cites Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act as the legal basis for seeking the confirmation of Oluyede’s appointment.
President Tinubu appointed Oluyede as Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30, following the illness of his predecessor, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja. Tragically, General Lagbaja passed away on November 5.
“President Tinubu is confident in Lt. General Oluyede’s leadership qualities, professional integrity, and extensive experience. He believes Oluyede will effectively lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability,” Onanuga stated.
Before his appointment as Acting Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede, a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 39th Regular Course, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992 (effective from 1987), Oluyede steadily rose through the ranks, attaining the position of Major-General in September 2020. Over his military career, he has held numerous key command roles within the Nigerian Army.