The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading, a bill to establish the Armed Forces Service Commission.

The legislation mandates the proposed agency to ensure that the President adheres strictly to Federal Character Commission principles in the appointment of service chiefs.

The law will also make it possible for aggrieved Nigerians to sue the Commission if they felt that the FCC principles were ignored in service chiefs appointment.

If passed into law by both chambers and assented to by the President, the current agitation for due process in such appointment would become a thing of the past.

Nigerians are currently accusing the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of appointment most of his security chiefs from the northern part of the country.

The current service chiefs are,
Maj.-Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj.-Gen. Tukur. Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval Staff), Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff), Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan (Chief of Defence Intelligence), and Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (National Security Adviser)

In his lead debate on Tuesday, the sponsor of the Armed Forces Service Commission (establishment) bill, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

He said the bill, pursuant to Section 219 of the 1999 constitution as amended, conferred some powers on the National Assembly.

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For instance, he said the federal parliament, in giving effect to the functions specified in sections 217 218 of the Constitution, shall have the power to ensure that the composition Armed Forces of the Federation reflects Federal Character of Nigeria.

Abaribe said the functions specified in section 217 of the 1999 Constitution is the establishment and composition of the Armed Forces of the Federation.

He said such composition by virtue of section 217 (3) shall reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria.

He added that the powers exercisable by the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation under section 218 of the Constitution include the power to determine the operational use of the Armed Forces of the federation.

He also said the President has the power to appoint Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff and heads of any other branch of the Armed Forces of the federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.

He said, “The Federal Character Commission as one of the Federal Executive Bodies established under section 153 (1) of the 1999 Constitution also has the constitutional mandate in Paragraph 8, Part 1 of the 3rd schedule to the Constitution.

“Part of the mandate is to ensure compliance with the Federal Character principle provided for in section 14 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution.

“It shall work out an equitable formula subject to the approval of the National Assembly for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the public service of the Federation, and of the states.

“The public service includes the Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police Force and other government security agencies, government-owned companies and parastatals.”

A copy of the sighted by our correspondent indicated that the Federal High Court shall have jurisdiction over all matter In the proposed legislation.

It also indicated that the commission can sue and be sued.

Ndume justifies Army varsity in Buratai’s village.

Also on Tuesday, the bill for the establishment of the Army University in Biu, the home town of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, scaled second reading on the floor of the Senate.

The sponsor of the bill for the Army Varsity establishment, Senator Ali Ndume, said the citing of the institution in Biu, has nothing to do with the COAS.

He also allayed the fears of Nigerians that the Boko Haram terrorists could be attacking the school because of its proximity to the Sambisa forest.

He said, “The Nigerian Army University is most appropriately to be located in Biu. In fact, it should be in Sambisa! That’s what is killing us.

“Yes, it is located in Biu, but let me tell you, ever since before the coming of that university, we have been advocating, because I represent Borno South, and if you know the history of Borno, we have several institutions in Borno State.

“It is only the College of Education that’s located in Biu. Go and look at the history of Borno and the geography of Borno and where the academicians are coming and the crave for education is.

“You will find out that it is mostly in Southern Borno. In fact, left to me, for the requirement of Nigeria and specifically that area, there should be more universities.

“That university has been located in an area where you think there is insecurity, but 80 per cent of the students right now, out of the 1,700 that were admitted this year are from the southern part of the country.

“Go and check the records. That means this insecurity that you are talking about isn’t in the minds of our youths. They are thinking Nigeria.”