President Bola Tinubu has sent a letter to the Senate seeking confirmation of Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede’s appointment as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the request in a statement on Friday, noting that it is in accordance with the provision of section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act

Tinubu’s letter to the Senate was disclosed in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday.

He said Tinubu is seeking Oluyede’s confirmation in line with Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.

Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30 following the illness of late Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

General Lagbaja, however, died on 5 November.

According to Onanuga: “President Tinubu is confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience of Lt. General Oluyede to lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability.”

Prior to his appointment, Oluyede, a member of the 39th Regular Course, like his predecessor, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987.

He rose to Major-General in September 2020. Since his commissioning as an officer, Oluyede has held many command positions.