Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says the Nigerian Army must remain loyal to the nation rather than be reduced to defending the tenure of an individual, saying presidents will come and go, governors will come and go but the Nigerian nation will remain.
Speaking while receiving the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army,Ibadan, Major General Sanusi Muazu, Oshiomhole said no political office holder should get so desperate and try to use the military to boost personal ambition.
According to him, “the reason why this has become an issue is because of the nature of our politics and the way political actors have put their personal interest over and above the national interest. Presidents would come and go, governors would come and go, whether they are good or bad.
Even the Armed Forces commander would come and go but the institution of the Nigeria Armed Forces would remain. Once we can distinguish between the person and the office, the institutions and the player, we may not have crisis.
“I believe that the forthcoming election with all the tension that people are raising, with all the speculation that Nigeria would have crisis, to me I have seen all these before and the God that created this country would ensure that after all the fog, the weather would be clear. Nigeria would stay.”
Oshiomhole noted, “It is the peace and security of the part that determine the character of peace and security of the whole. The Armed Forces must see themselves as the Nigeria Armed Forces and not the Armed Forces of the Commander in Chief, or of the Governor. The Commander in Chief is to be elected by very ordinary people.
“The right of the people to vote for who will be president is a right that must be defended and upheld. Once the process is clean, the outcome does not matter. In a democracy, the people deserve the kind of president they want. He is a product of election and not imposition.
“So I ask you to do everything you can to keep that confidence that the army understands that their mandate is to defend the territorial integrity of the Nigerian nation and not the security of tenure of any political office holder regardless of the level.
Oshiomhole said “I am a believer that this country has to be held together and many people look up to us but sometimes when I listen to statements made by other countries especially, those that Nigerian rescued in the past, I begin to wonder that those Nigeria tutored on the art of democracy have now become our tutors.
The governor said further “We will do our best to continue with the armed forces as an integral part of this state and we trust that you will ensure that the vote counts and that no selfish officer allows himself to be used to intimidate electoral officers. Nobody understands the need for peace and security more than the Nigerian Army”.
Earlier, in a remark, the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigeria Army, Major General Sanusi Muazu commended the governor for his developmental strides and his support to the officers and men of the Nigerian Army in the state.
He said “I decided to visit Edo first among the eight states under my control because it is important to the Nigerian Army and the 2 Division and I promise to consolidate on the peace and security prevailing in the state.”
He said: “I know Edo state very well and I know what you have achieved here since you became Governor.
“I want to assure you that the Division will discharge on its constitutional responsibility. I want to thank you for the support the Army and the 4 Brigade is enjoying from the state Government. I want to assure you that the Division will continue to provide security in the state.”
The GOC was accompanied on the visit by very senior officers in the Division including Brig.-General O Laleye, Commander, 4 Brigade, Benin.
…Urges Voters Not To Be Deceived By Bags Of Rice
Governor Adams Oshiomhole has appealed to voters not to be deceived by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which will share cubes of sugar, tubers of yam and grains for their votes, saying Nigeria’s politics has gone beyond that level.
Speaking on Sunday at the commissioning of a 35-bed community health centre built by a member of the Edo State House of Aassembly, Hon Dele Oloruntoba as part of his constituency project, Oshiomhole said
“Let me remind our people that there are two parties in Nigeria, the partythat believes that government should work for the people and the one that believes that government money must be shared among some people and put into individual pockets”, he stressed.
The Governor said money has been appropriated for constituency project in the past but were put into private pockets by leaders of the PDP. “In a democracy, everybody must be identified by his father’s name. If you work it will be seen, if you don’t work it will be seen and we must put your name against your performance.”
Oshiomhole said “In all that we do, the first consideration is that we must apply public funds in a way that would deliver happiness to the majority of our people. And it is also noteworthy that even when you did not win nomination in the last primary, you could have decided that since you are not seeking re-nomination, you don’t care anymore.
“I want to appeal to our people that this forthcoming election is not for us to vote for cubes of sugar, tubers of yam or bag of rice. Our politics has gone beyond that level. If you vote because of these materiel things, the consequences are such that development will be far.
He said “For ten years, all the money was stolen and it was put in private pockets and they bring a small percentage to share when election is approaching. I am proud of my party and I ask you to support APC and its candidates from the presidency to the House of Assembly elections.
“Our people know now that PDP is a party of cheats and anytime you see red roofs you know it is APC. May I also inform you that this election is not about tribalism? One of the causes of Nigeria’s problems is this issue of tribalism. The issue is that a party that will not work will not work.”
Oshiomhole who was conferred with the title, Aigbonaga of Ekpedo for the numerous developmental strides in the state by the Onose of Ekpedo, Oba John Obabori, for his commitment to providing qualitative health care for the people deserves commendation said “I want to thank you and appreciate you for doing this.”
The 35-bed Health Centre “Clara Oshiomhole Comprehensive Health Centre” is named after the late wife of the Governor.
