Senate divided as Orji Kalu calls for overhaul of Service Chiefs’ selection

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North, has called on the senate to amend the Armed Forces Act to address what he described as the “wastage of trained military personnel” resulting from the arbitrary appointment of service chiefs.

Speaking during Thursday’s plenary while contributing to the debate on a bill to repeal and re-enact the Armed Forces Act, Kalu said appointing service chiefs from junior military courses often forces many senior officers into early retirement, wasting years of training and public resources.

“In amending this law, I want the committee to look into the issue of military courses,” he said.

“For example, the current Chief of Army Staff is from course 41. That means everyone from courses 39 and 40 has had to retire.”

“We spent a lot of money training these officers, and when they are retired prematurely, it becomes a waste of Nigerian taxpayers’ money.”

He insisted that appointments should follow the established course hierarchy to ensure fairness and continuity within the armed forces.

“If the commander-in-chief wants to appoint a chief of army staff, naval staff, or air staff, it should follow the course order. Each course should have a fair chance to lead,” he added.

“We have had instances where a single appointment led to the retirement of over 200 generals who still had seven or eight years to serve. This is wasteful and unfair.”

According to Kalu, aligning appointments with course progression would help strengthen unity and professionalism in the military.

“The Nigerian Army should be one army, one people, and one voice. We must ensure the system in the Nigerian Defence Academy is respected,” he said.

However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, urged lawmakers to be cautious and avoid reforms that may encroach on the president’s constitutional powers.

“We need to be very careful,” Barau warned.

“The military has its own traditions, and they understand them better than we do. The commander-in-chief also has the latitude to appoint as he wishes.”

“When reviewing this law, we must balance both the authority of the president and the military’s established traditions.”

He advised the senate to fully consult the armed forces to ensure any amendment aligns with military realities and constitutional provisions.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua of Katsina Central, later passed its second reading.

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