Buhari nominates Olonishakin, Buratai, others as non career ambassadors

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated immediate past service chiefs as non career ambassadors, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said in a statement on Thursday.

Those nominated are the immediate retired Chief of Defense Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin (Rtd), Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai (Rtd)
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd), and Chief of Staff, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd).

The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of the immediate past Service Chiefs to the Senate as non-career Ambassadors-Designate.

“In a letter to Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, President of the Senate, the President said: “In accordance with section 171 (1), (2) (c) & sub-section (4) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed five (5) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate.”

“The nominees are: Gen Abayomi G. Olonisakin (Rtd ), Lt Gen Tukur Y. Buratai (Rtd), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd).

“The President urged the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the nominations.

It would be recalled that the retired service chiefs ‘resigned’ their appointment late January, 2021, with President Buhari accepting their immediate retirement from service after a prolonged clamour for their sack by a large section of Nigerians, including the National Assembly.