President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking to confirm the appointment of Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Army staff.
Oluyode has been serving in an acting capacity since his appointment on October 30.
Tinubu’s request is contained in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Tuesday.
Tinubu said Oluyede’s confirmation is under the provisions of section 218(2) of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.
The president said the army chief’s contribution to the military and Nigeria makes him “well-suited” for the role.
The request was then referred to the Senate Committee on Army to screen and present the report to the whole committee for further action, as soon as practicable.
Last Friday, presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, announced that Tinubu transmitted a letter to the upper chamber, asking the lawmakers to confirm Oluyede’s appointment.
Oluyede was appointed as the Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30 following the illness of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
But General Lagbaja died on 5 November and has since been buried in Abuja.
“President Tinubu is confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience of Lt. General Oluyede to lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability,” the presidential spokesman added.
Until he was appointed the acting COAS, Oluyede was the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
The acting COAS was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to the rank of a Major General in September 2020.
Since he was commissioned as an officer, Oluyede has held many command positions.
“He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer in the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School,” Onanuga said.
“General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.”
In the course of his service, he has received many honours such as the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.
Others are the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, and the Field Training Medal.
Oluyede also bagged the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.