Melaye raises dust over appointment of new NYSC DG

Senator representing Kogi west, Dino Melaye on Tuesday moved a motion on the floor of the senate to investigate the illegality of the appointment of Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim as the new Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

National Daily had earlier reported the appointment General Ibrahim last Friday as announced by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa.

Brigadier General Ibrahim, who was redeployed from the Nigerian Army University, Biu, was directed to take over from Major General Sule Kazaure.

Colonel Musa explained that the redeployment followed the approval of the postings and appointments of some senior officers by the army authorities.

While moving the motion on the floor of the senate on Tuesday, Melaye said the appointment of Ibrahim contravenes section 5 of the NYSC act.

The senator argued that it is only the president who can make such an appointment not the chief of army staff.

“There has been an infraction perpetrated by the Chief of Army staff in appointing a new director-general for the NYSC,” the legislator said.

“According to section 5 of the NYSC act, a director-general is to be appointed by the president. The chief of army staff through signal removed the DG of NYSC and through signal appointed his replacement.

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“The act gave authority to the president. Previous Director-Generals were appointed by the president. We are not in a banana republic. NYSC is not a formation of the Nigerian Army but on the enactment of the national assembly.”

But dissenting, Francis Alimikhena, deputy chief whip, said the chief of army staff has the right to appoint anyone to that position.

“The chief of army staff has the right to post any member to any position. He had the right,” Alimikhena said.

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On his part, Senate President Bukola Saraki, mandated the senate committee on youths and sports to probe the alleged illegality of the appointment of S. Ibrahim as the new Director-General (DG) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).