Mixed reactions, Tuesday, greeted President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of new service chiefs, which took the nation’s security firmament by surprise.

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George said the appointments were reasonable but not perfect.

However, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Benjamin Kalu and Former Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor and President Ugwumba Leadership Center for Africa, Uche Nwosu, commended Tinubu for reflecting Nigeria’s diversity in his appointments.

Tinubu on Monday retired Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and Comptroller of Customs, Col Hameed Ali, retd among others.

New service chiefs

He appointed new service chiefs as follows:

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* Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser
*Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff
*Maj. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff
* Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff
*AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff
*DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police
* Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye, Chief of Defense Intelligence

* Adeniyi Bashir Adewale, Ag. Comptroller General of Customs.
Other top appointments include:

*Col. Adebisi Onasanya, Brigade of Guards Commander
* Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja
* Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa, 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State
* Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim, 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger
* Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja
Similarly, the President approved the appointments of other military officers in the Presidential Villa as follows:
*Maj. Isa Farouk Audu, (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery
*Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183), Second-in-Command, State House Artillery
*Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656), Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence
* Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860), Commanding Officer, State House Armament
*Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament.
Also, President Tinubu approved the appointments of two additional special advisers, and two senior assistants. They are:
* Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser, Policy Coordination
* Hannatu Musa Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy
* Senator Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate)
* Mr. Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)

Kalu hails Tinubu over Chief of Naval Staff appointment

Speaking on the issue, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu hailed President Tinubu over the appointment of Rear Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff.

Kalu noted that the appointment touched on the diversity of the country, stressing that the President is determined to lead an inclusive government and promote national cohesion.

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The deputy speaker also expressed gratitude to the president for his proactiveness in appointing capable hands to many key areas of the new administration so far.

While commending Tinubu for finding Ogalla, an Enugu indigene worthy of the esteemed position, Kalu who is also from the South-East expressed his confidence in the competence and capacity of the new naval helmsman to deliver.

Kalu further urged the South-East to support the current administration as the interests of the zone were well secured by the president.

So far reasonable, not perfect—Bode George

On his part, Chief Olabode George said that it is too early to evaluate President Tinubu’s administration.

Speaking on Channels Televisions ‘Politics Today, George insisted that the President needs a lot of good advisers, introspection noting that “Tinubu’s methodology so far is ‘reasonable but not perfect.’

He said: “The major difference between Bola and me is his methodology. His managerial style is not like mine. I have a background in the military. You don’t carry your men to war without adequately doing serious planning and intelligence gathering.

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“So it is too early in the day. It is not a 100-meter dash race. He is to manage the people and the resources of this country for the betterment of the Nigerian people. In other words, his start is reasonable but not perfect.

“At least it is better than what we knew before when he was in Lagos. … I have worked for Gen. Babangida, Baba Obasanjo, and Jonathan, among others. It is not an easy job; the only thing is that you pray for whoever is there.

“It is not a matter of totalitarianism or you know it all syndrome. You need a lot of good advisers, you need a lot of introspection, and now he’s doing some balancing; it may not be perfect, but it is reasonable.”

Asked if the federal character principle was reflected in the security chief’s appointment, he said: “It is still reasonable. The founding fathers of the PDP divided Nigeria into six geo-political zones; it was not in our constitution.

“What got me a little bit worried was that the Secretary to the Government announced the appointment of smaller units. That should be done by the naval council or the military council.”

Nwosu commends Tinubu, says appointment nationalistic

However, Uche Nwosu, hailed President Tinubu’s appointments, saying that the president has the nation at heart and was committed to addressing the nation’s challenges.

Nwosu, in a statement, said Tinubu has demonstrated nationalism through his dedication to signing bills into law, ranging from the student loan bill, electricity distribution bill and of recent, the appointment of service chiefs.

The statement read: “The recent reshuffling of service chiefs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is commendable. Since assuming office, President Tinubu has demonstrated by the Bills he signed into law, and by the appointments and pronouncements he made that his administration is one where the leader understands the peculiar challenges facing the country.

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“Mr President in his drive for holistic national repositioning delved into the education sector where the recent education loan scheme act would provide Nigerians with opportunities to pursue their academic goals, regardless of their social or economic background.

“Recall the electricity distribution bill that President Tinubu also signed into law, thereby bringing to an end, the belated controversy on electricity distribution that has slowed the wheel of the nation’s march towards industrialization.

“The latest hallmark of the administration is the appointment of service chiefs to ensure the security of lives and properties, and to defend and enforce Nigeria’s sovereignty.

“By selecting fine and well decorated officers from all regions of the country to man our security outfits, Mr President has demonstrated his deep understanding of the country, its people, as well as showing his unflinching commitment to one Nation bound in love and unity, where tribe, tongue and religion does not matter.

“I, therefore, urge the new service chiefs to deliver on their mandate, and restore our country to its former glory where lives are sacred, and investment, economic opportunities and political stability flourish.”

VANGUARD