The Senate has commenced investigation into alleged abuse and breach of the constitution in the appointment of a new Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
This decision was taken after the adoption of a motion sponsored by Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi State).
Leading the debate on the motion, Melaye said that NYSC is not under the army and as such, Buratai has no power to appoint anybody as DG of the NYSC.
He added that it is the responsibility of the President, as stipulated in the NYSC Act, to appoint a DG for the agency.
The Nigerian Army had last week redeployed the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Maj.-Gen Suleman Kazaure and eight other Generals in a major shake-up announced by the Army headquarters in Abuja.
Kazaure, who was the 17th NYSC DG, was redeployed to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja as a senior resource person, while a new DG, Brig.-Gen Shaibu Ibrahim, was appointed to replace him.
Ibrahim, who was with the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, resumes at the NYSC headquarters as the 18th head of the scheme.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, had in a statement said the postings and appointments were with immediate effect.
But moving his motion on Tuesday, Melaye argued that the Nigerian Army violated the Act in the appointment of new NYSC DG, adding that such power is exclusive of the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces as provided in the NYSC Act.
He cited Section 5 of the NYSC Act to buttress his submission. The section provides that: “There shall be for the service of the Corps, the Director General who shall be appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Speaking on the matter, Melaye said: “Surprisingly, the Chief of Army Staff through signal removed the Director General of NYSC and through signal appointed his replacement.
“The Armed Forces Act did not in anyway empower any person to appoint the Director General of NYSC other than the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This Senate is also aware that previous Directors General of the NYSC including the immediate past DG was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari and former President of this country. Nigeria is not a banana republic. And we should not allow a constitutional country that is governed by laws and legislation to be taken for granted. If we allow this, tomorrow we will not be surprised if the announcement of the removal of the Senate President comes from Road Safety and his replacement by the same institution”.
While ruling on the motion, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the plenary, however, gave the Senate Committee on Sports and Youths Development a week to investigate and report back to the house for further legislative action.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
