Service Chiefs: Lawan, Gbajabiamila diverting Nigerians’ attention after collecting N37bn to renovate NASS complex

The National Democratic Front (NDF) has described the call for the sack or resignation of the nation’s Security Chiefs as an attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians from the controversy trailing the approval of N37bn for the renovation of National Assembly complex.

Recall that the Nigerian lawmakers had in December set aside a whooping N37bn to renovate the National Assembly in the N2.5trn budgeted for capital projects by the Federal Capital Development Authority in the 2020 budget, thus triggering uproar in the country.

NDF said the Thursday’s motion moved by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon, Mohammed Tahir Mongunu and 14 others, on the need to sack the Service Chiefs was not borne out of patriotism.

Addressing newsmen on Thursday, in Abuja, Dr. Abdulkadir Bolaji, National Secretary of NDF said the National Assembly under the leadership of Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and House of Reps Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have diverted attention from NASS’s scandalous controversies and atrocities at the expense of their image and interest of Nigerians.

He said legislators who expended a whooping sum of N5.5 billion to purchase luxury cars in a poverty-stricken country facing hard times have not portrayed them as lawmakers concerned with national interest do not have the moral standard to call for the sack of hard-working Service Chiefs.

Full text of his speech below.

From time to time, we are pained by the deliberate actions or multiple commissions from our national legislators, especially the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly (NASS). We are vexed by their continuous wobbling in the performance of their official assignments. Naturally, we can overlook their motley of scandals, but certainly not undue interference that tends to tamper with the sanctity of the security fabrics of our country.

At plenary on Wednesday January 29, 2020, the Reps members in a resolution after debating a motion sponsored by Hon. Mohammed Monguno, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the leaders of Security agencies in Nigeria, if they fail to resign voluntarily. The Reps members attempted to justify the reason for this unthinkable and impetuous decision to the renewed spate of attacks and killings in Nigeria country.

The tenor of the resolution draped with unpardonable, abominable and suspected secret alliance/connivance with the foreign evil forces against Nigeria. There are some Nigerians who have belabored themselves to discredit Nigeria’s Security leaderships presently battling terrorism, insurrections and insurgencies in the country.

Overtime, precisely in the last few months, Nigerians have heard and assessed the campaigns for the sack of Security Chiefs. And it emanates from individuals and organizations inclined to partisanship and intolerant of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

And they echo same rehearsed reasons in attempts to disparage Nigeria’s Security leaderships, by projecting biased, irrational and self-serving reasons. Therefore, one hears the same conspiratorial voices of anti- Nigeria choristers from opposition parties like the PDP or its apostates, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Senate, the House of Reps, elder statement like Gen. Ty Danjuma (rtd) or some faceless human rights organizations such as this latest one by the identity of Human Rights organization and Social Justice (HRSJ).

They are not necessarily concerned with the voice of genuine reasoning. So, the obviously contracted HRSJ, was quick to lend its support to the position of NASS which passed a vote of no-confidence on the Military, Police and other security agencies in the country and bargained for their sack too.

It is astonishing that some Rep members have wittingly subscribed to this hogwash using a protectively deceptive official cover to push this demonic agenda. The recent baseless alarm calling for the sack of Security Chiefs is amazing to say the least.

It dawned on Nigerians clearly that the House of Reps is scheming with underground forces to return back to the dark and inglorious era when external forces reportedly bribed members of NASS to arm-twist Mr. President. This was usually done through ceaseless vitriols on his appointees to compel him into making decisions incongruent with the interest of the country. These legislators have sinister motives against Nigeria.

But both Senate President, Sen. Ahmed Lawan and House of Reps Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila have diverted attention from NASS’s scandalous controversies and atrocities at the expense of their image and interest of Nigerians. The allocation of a huge separate N37 billion for mere renovation NASS complex in 2020 budget, outside the N128 billion allocated for NASS in same fiscal year.

Expending a whooping of N5.5 billion to purchase luxury cars for lawmakers in a poverty-stricken country facing hard times have not portrayed them as lawmakers concerned with national interest. Same for racketeering [TNNP1] of federal jobs at the FIRS, budget padding and recklessness amounting to over N260 billion. Ironically though, both chambers who passed the 2020 budget failed to notice that budgets estimate of some Ministries, Agencies and Departments were excluded in the budget.

The wholesome passage of the 2020 Appropriation Act without proper inquest and shutting down of media coverage for budget defence are some of their many ills and frustration of progress of Nigeria. The House of Reps at this point should concentrate on laundering its battered image, than the preoccupation with calls for sack of Security leaderships which is indubitably outside its purview of responsibilities.

While steeped in this official profligacy designed to benefit their personal pockets, House of Reps ignored pleas from the Army leadership to increase the meagre budgetary allocation to the Nigerian Army. During the Military’s defence of its 2020 budget proposal of the military before the House of Representatives Committee on Army , the Reps members were urged them to exempt the army from the existing budget ceiling or envelope allocation system.

But they ignored it despite the cogent reasons. But is the same House of Reps which never gave a thought to it has pleasured to vilify and crucify for failing insecurity in parts of the country by calling for the sack of security chief. This is warped wisdom, official deceit and self-denial.

Therefore, we state without mincing words that the Reps call for sack or resignation of Security leadership in the country is uncharitable and deliberate mischief by a bunch of failures, in the House trying to hide their real motive.

We have no reason to doubt the superlative performance of the current crop of Security leaderships in Nigeria. NDF is proud particularly, with Service Chiefs who are doing their best in the prevailing circumstances and Nigerans are impressed with their efforts so far.

Let it be known to the House of Rep members that it is unambiguous; Mr. President is on track and will tackle the emergent issues at hand soonest. The President will accomplish this feat without sacking any of the very patriots that have been so helpful and invaluable in curbing the excesses of insurgencies and insurrections as wished by these seemingly confused agents of the same evil forces orchestrating the carnages in Nigeria.

NDF finds it repulsive and unfortunate how these disgruntled political elements discuss the Service Chiefs like aliens who have no bearing in the fate of their own country.

Consequently, the ranting of members of the House of Representatives is personalized verdict or biased opinions and infinitesimal, especially on matters they have no such lawful powers to interrogate or determine like Security leaderships as they mouthed freely.

We will only call on politicians and members of parliament inclusive to stop their unholy alliance with terrorists, bandits and kidnappers to destabilize the country. It is the first step, and secondly, approve adequate budget financing for security agencies to tackle violence and killings, as against the meaningless sermons on resignation or sacking of them.

It is foolhardy to call for the resignation of the President and sacking of security chiefs, while silent on states governors, where the renewed incidents of attacks and killings occur. Some of these Governors who are the Chief Security officers of their states and collect monthly security votes, but do not devote it to solving emerging security issues. It shows the bias and malice in the parliamentarians against President Buhari.

As President Buhari is the Chief Security officer of Nigeria, the states governors are same in their domains. The House of Reps must first call for their resignation. We call on President Buhari to take a drastic action on Governors who err on security and allow insecurity situations degenerate to raise conditions conducive to criticize and blame the Presidency.

Henceforth, we advise that the President should be prepared to slam a state of emergency on any state that falters on securing lives and property of the citizenry. We hope the House of Representative would not hesitate to grant approval when the time is ripe?