It was a case of dashed hopes this afternoon as President Goodluck Jonathan failed to make Chief of Army Staff (CAS), General Azubuike Ihejirika (shown in photo), the first Nigerian post-war Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Igbo extraction.

Fooled by Jonathan’s body language, Ndigbo, who adopted and helped make Jonathan President last year, had been looking forward to celebrating Ihejirika’s elevation.

But it was not to happen, as the Nigerian leader settled for erstwhile Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim as CDS and retained Ihejirika as CAS. Ibrahim, who comes from Kwara State, replaces Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, who retires after 35 years of service.

Ibrahim, the erstwhile Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, is replaced by Rear Admiral D. J. Ezeoba from Delta State, while Air Vice Admiral A. S. Badeh from Adamawa State becomes the new Chief of Air Staff, replacing Air Marshal Diko Umar, who is retiring from service.

The appointments were announced via a statement issued by Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser on Media to President Jonathan.