Human Rights Lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of new Service Chiefs following the resignation of the former officers.
In a statement personally signed by him on Wednesday, Mr Falana quoted a 2013 judgment which described the appointments of Service Chiefs without the concurrence of the National Assembly as illegal and unconstitutional.
Consequently, he said the Service Chiefs have only been nominated but not appointed.
“Yesterday, President Buhari was reported to have appointed new service chiefs for the armed forces.
“Upon a critical review of the law on the subject matter the members of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAP) have found that the appointments remain inchoate as President Muhammadu Buhari has not forwarded the names of the proposed service chiefs to the National Assembly for approval in strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Armed Forces Act.
Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, says the appointment of security chiefs is not subject to federal character.
Adesina who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, said this while responding to comments about alleged nepotism in appointments under the current administration.
According to him, while certain appointments are subject to Federal Character, security is not one of those.
“There are certain appointments that are subject to federal character, for instance, the constitution says that there must be a minister from each state of the country but there are certain appointments that are also not subject to federal character and one of them is in the security,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an immediate probe into the tenure of the former service chiefs to unravel the circumstances behind the security lapses and compromises in the country during their tenure.
The PDP is also demanding a probe into an accusation of their involvement in the alleged looting of funds meant for the equipping and welfare of troops in the frontlines.
“The PDP demands an immediate inquest into the tenure of the last service chiefs to unravel the circumstances behind the security lapses and compromises as well as accusation of involvement in the alleged looting of funds meant for the equipping and welfare of our troops in the front,” a statement signed on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan said.