President Bola Tinubu has officially requested the House of Representatives to confirm Olufemi Oluyede as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
The request, which aligns with the provisions of Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, was read out by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House, during a plenary session on Tuesday.
In his letter, President Tinubu emphasized Oluyede’s professional military contributions and described him as “well-suited” for the position of COAS. He urged that Oluyede’s confirmation be handled expeditiously.
Oluyede was appointed acting COAS on October 30, 2024, following the prolonged illness of Taoreed Lagbaja, the former army chief, who passed away on November 5. Shortly after, Oluyede was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.
Prior to his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the Infantry Corps in Kaduna and had a distinguished military career, rising from his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1992 to becoming a major general in 2020. He and the late Lagbaja were coursemates from the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Army.
President Tinubu had previously sought the Senate’s approval for Oluyede’s appointment, and now has extended the request to the House for confirmation.
