Service Chiefs Appointment: Why Buhari Bypass NASS – Presidency

The Presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari is not under any obligation to send names of new Service Chiefs to the National Assembly for confirmation.

Recall that some Senior Lawyers including Femi Falana, SAN, have berated the President for appointing the New Service Chiefs without the confirmation of the National Assembly.

The Lawyers quoted a 2013 judgment that described the appointments of Service Chiefs without the confirmation of the National Assembly as illegal and unconstitutional.

In an interview, a Presidency official said the nation’s constitution made it clear that the President should appoint Service Chiefs.

The official said the President did not send the names of the former Service Chiefs to the National Assembly for confirmation and would do the same for the new ones.

He, however, acknowledged the court judgment asking that Service Chiefs’ appointments must be confirmed by the National Assembly.

The Presidential official noted that the constitution is superior to any other law or court judgement.

He said: “The constitution is clear on this matter. It said the President should appoint Service Chiefs.

“This is not the first time President Buhari will be appointing Service Chiefs. Those he appointed the first time, did he send their names to the National Assembly for confirmation?

“It is true that Keyamo went to court at a time but the truth of the matter is that the constitution is superior to any other law. The constitution says the President should appoint Service Chiefs and he has just done that.”