By SALISU SANI-IDRIS

President Bola Tinubu on Friday sent a letter to the Senate seeking confirmation of Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede?s appointment as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Onanuga explained that in the letter, Tinubu seeks Oluyede?s confirmation in accordance with the provisions of Section 218 (two) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 18 (one) of the Armed Forces Act.

He recalled that Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the Acting Chief of Army Staff on Oct. 30 following the illness of Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.

According him, Gen. Lagbaja, however, died on Nov. 5.

He said that Tinubu is confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience of Lt. Gen. Oluyede to lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability.

Onanuga stated that before he was appointed Acting COAS, 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 state.

?He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987 and rose to Maj.-Gen. in September 2020.

?Since his commissioning as an officer, Oluyede has held many command positions,? Onanuga said. (NAN)