Abaribe seeks federal character in appointment of service chiefs

A bill seeking to compel the president to appoint service chiefs based on the federal character principle has passed first reading at the senate.

The bill entitled, “Armed Forces Service Commission bill”, is sponsored by Enyinnaya Abaribe, senate minority leader.

The proposed legislation was read for the first time after Nelson Ayewoh, clerk of the senate, read the short title of the bill on Tuesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticised for alleged lopsided appointments — that of the service chiefs inclusive.

Although the current service chiefs are all due for retirement, the president has refused to let them go.

According to its synopsis, the bill proposes that all the service chiefs and heads of security agencies should be subjected to the confirmation of the senate.

The proposed law seeks to establish a commission that would ensure that the appointment of service chiefs is in accordance with the federal character principle.

It provides that the commission will recommend to the president the removal of service chiefs and heads of security agencies on the grounds of misconduct, abuse of office, breach of any section of the constitution, the armed forces act or any other act of the national assembly.

According to the bill, the commission shall have the power to recommend to the president who is best qualified to be appointed as head of any security agency.