• Senate Confirms Service Chiefs
• Continues debate on the 2014 budget

The Nigerian Senate today has confirmed the nomination of service chiefs.

Standing in the name of Senator George Thompson Sekibo-Rivers East, motion was made that the Senate do consider the Report of the Joint Committee on Defense, Army & Navy; and Air force on the screening of the nominees:

1. Air Marshall Alex - Chief of Defence Staff
2. Major General Keneath - Chief of Army Staff
3. Rear Admiral Usman - Chief of Naval Staff
4. Air Vice Marshall Adesola - Chief of Air Staff, as Service Chiefs.

The Senate resolved into the committee of the whole and approved the nominations.

Earlier, Senator Abubakar O. Saraki (Kwara Central), informed the Senate that he forwarded a letter to the office of the Senate President on Wednesday, 29^th January, 2014, intimating the Senate of his change of political party with eleven (11) other Senators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Since the letter was yet to be read as the tradition he viewed it as a breach of his privilege as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Senator Abubakar Saraki came under Rule 15 and matter was stood down to the next legislative day.

The Senate also received the Report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Services, on the Pension Reform Act, CAP P4 LFN 2011 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2014, standing in the name of Senator Aloysius Etok ( Akwa Ibom North West) .

The Senate resumed debate for the third allotted day on the Bill for an Act to Authorize the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation the Total sum of N4,642,960,000,000 (Four Trillion, Six Hundred and Forty-Two Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty Million Naira) only, of which, N399,687,801,891 (Three hundred and Ninety-Nine Billion, Six Hundred and Eighty-Seven Million, Eight Hundred and One Thousand, Eight hundred and Ninety-One Naira) only, is for Statutory Transfers, N712,000,000,000 (Seven Hundred and Twelve Billion Naira) only is for Debt Service, N2,430,665,361,597 (Two Trillion, Four Hundred and Thirty Billion, Six Hundred and Sixty-five Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-One Thousand, Five Hundred and ninety-Seven Naira) only, is for recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure, while the balance of N1,100,606,836,512 (One Trillion, One Hundred Billion, Six Hundred and Six Million, Eight Hundred and thirty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Twelve Naira) only, is for contribution to the development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending on the 31^st day of December, 2014.

The following Senators contributed to the debate:

1. Senator Boluwaji Kunlere
2. Senator Edesiri E. Aguariavwodo
3. Senator Hosea A. Agboola
4. Senator Ayo P. Akinyelure
5. Senator Chris N. D. Anyanwu
6. Senator Ifeanyi A. Okowa
7. Senator Robert A. Boroffice
8. Senator Mohammed S. Lafiagi
9. Senator Sahabi Ya’u
10. Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim
11. Senator Mudashiru O. Husain
12. Senator James E. Manager