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Military Frowns At Obasanjo’s Comment

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The Defence Headquarters has expressed disappointment over recent remarks of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the role allegedly being played by the military in the nation’s democratic process.

A statement posted in the DHQ website on Monday said the leadership and cross section of the military believed the former president and retired general had every right to express interest in the actions and fate of the military.

It said it was for the above reasons that “his views, like many others, will continue to be accorded the well-deserved attention.’’

The statement, however, noted that most of Obasanjo’s utterances lately indicated an attitude of playing to the gallery or indulging in politicisation of serious national security.

“For instance, comments credited to Obasanjo, alleging that the postponement of the general elections was to enable President Jonathan to use the Service Chiefs to plot a tenure extension is to say, the least, very surprising.’’

The statement expressed surprise that the retired general chose to ignore the clarification and emphatic assurances of non-partisanship of the military as declared in a DHQ statement on the military position.

“His motive as usual remains unknown but it is certainly less than noble or well intentioned. We dare say again that Chief Obasanjo’s assertions are false,’’ it said.

The statement further said that Obasanjo’s conduct and unguarded utterances of late had fallen short of the standard of a man who had served in the military and risen to the rank of general.

“The behaviour of retired Gen. (Chief) Obasanjo has been so unbecoming and continues to constitute a serious embarrassment to the military before all who have reasonably and rightly adjudged the essence of military background in terms of the high value and standard it tends to contribute to statesmanship.

“We feel constrained to remind the old general that the world has moved beyond that parochial and self-adulating reasoning and mind-set which he seems stuck to.

“Indeed, he needs to be told that by virtue of their better training, exposure, education, assessment and environment, the military personnel of today are already far beyond his level in their appreciation of democracy.

“In this instance, the military wishes to inform the retired general, that the institution which he bequeathed to the nation has certainly developed beyond how he left it.

“The Nigerian military is now better placed to strive for the maintenance of the legacies and ethos of service, valour, subordination to constituted authorities and nonpartisan commitment to duty and fatherland,’’ the statement said.

It further said that the military, as an institution, was not inept in the discharge of its duties and not being misused for political ends.

The statement said that the military strongly believed in democracy, its structures and institutions to the extent that it would do nothing to undermine or truncate it.

“The military will remain professional as it keeps doing its best along with others to ensure adequate security and defence of the nation’s territorial integrity in this auspicious period in the country.

“The Defence Headquarters will like to encourage Chief Obasanjo to be genuinely interested in the growth and sustenance of Nigeria’s democratic credentials,’’ the statement added.

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