President Bola Tinubu has requested the House of Representatives to confirm Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The request, conveyed in a letter read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during Tuesday’s plenary, cites Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act as legal grounds.
Tinubu praised Oluyede’s professionalism and contributions to the military, describing him as “well-suited” for the role and urging a swift confirmation.
Oluyede, appointed acting COAS on October 30 following the illness and subsequent death of former army chief Taoreed Lagbaja, was recently promoted to lieutenant-general. Before his elevation, he served as the 56th commander of the Infantry Corps in Kaduna and has been in the military since his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1992.
The president has also forwarded the request for Oluyede’s confirmation to the Senate.