President Bola Tinubu has sent a letter to the senate seeking confirmation of Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede’s appointment as the substantive chief of army staff (COAS).

Bayo Onanuga, the presidential spokesperson, said Tinubu seeks Oluyede’s confirmation in accordance with the provision of section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.

On October 30, Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the acting COAS following the prolonged illness of the late Taoreed Lagbaja, the former army chief.

On November 5, Lagbaja died of an undisclosed illness.

Onanuga said Tinubu is “confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience” of Oluyede for the leadership of the army.

Before his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th commander of the infantry corps of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992 and rose to the position of major general in September 2020.

Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th regular course.

Recently, Oluyede was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.

He has participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) mission in Liberia, operation Harmony IV in Bakassi, and operation Hadin Kai in the north-east theatre of operations.

He was also the commander of the 27 task force brigade.

The supreme court has nullified the enforcement of provisions of the National Lottery Act 2005 in the 36 states of the federation.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, the seven-member panel held that the national assembly lacks the powers to legislate on issues pertaining to lottery and gaming.

In March 2005, former President Olusegun Obasanjo signed the national lottery bill into law.

The legislation provides the framework for the operation of the national lottery and the establishment of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.

The commission is charged with regulating the business of lottery in Nigeria as well as establishing the national lottery trust fund.

In 2008, the Lagos state government filed a suit against the federal government on whether the control and regulation of gaming and lottery businesses in each state is under the exclusive list.

In October 2020, the Ekiti government joined Lagos as co-plaintiff in the suit.

In November 2022, the supreme court joined 33 state governments as co-defendants in the suit.

In the judgment, the apex court ruled that only state assemblies have the powers to legislate on lottery and gaming businesses.

The supreme court ruled that legislation cannot be enforced in all states, except the federal capital territory (FCT), since the national assembly is empowered to make laws for the country’s capital.

The Senate has concurred with the recommendation of the House of Representatives to commute the death sentence penalty for persons found guilty of storing, moving or concealing hard drugs and other illicit substances to life imprisonment.

The alignment of the Senate with the House of Representatives yesterday was a sequel to the amendment effected on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act.

The amendment was considered at the plenary, presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, APC! Kano North, after majority of senators supported the harmonisation of the conference committee of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.

Recall that recently, the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the NDLEA law to prescribe life imprisonment for drug traffickers but the Senate version of the amendment prescribed death penalty for the offenders.

In order to address the differences, both the Senate and the House of Representatives needed to hold a conference committee on the amendment where they will conclude on a final amendment to the section.

The then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Tahir Monguno, had told his colleagues that the Senate would adopt the amendment of the House prescribing life imprisonment for drug traffickers.

Monguno, who is the chairman of the conference committee, explained that if the National Assembly adopted the death sentence, it meant over 900 accused persons behind bar on drug related cases would be executed.

He, therefore, urged his colleagues to support the resolution in order to reduce the effect of drug consumption and trading in the country.

After the presentation, the Deputy Senate President put the resolution to a vote and majority of the senators supported it.

Senator Barau, thereafter, approved the amendments to include life imprisonment for drug traffickers.

With the amendment, the section now reads: “Anybody who is unlawfully involved in the storage, custody, movement, carriage or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and who, while so involved is armed with any offensive weapon or is disguised in anyway, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act, and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.”