Agbakoba Commends Tinubu’s Military Shake-Up

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Nigerian Bar Association president, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has praised President Bola Tinubu for his latest changes in the military leadership, describing the move as bold and necessary to protect national security.

His comments come hours after President Tinubu appointed General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa and other new service chiefs for the Army, Navy, and Air Force in what officials described as a major effort to strengthen the armed forces and improve security across the country.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s politics today on Friday, Agbakoba said the president’s decision shows a willingness to act firmly on matters of national importance, a quality he believes was lacking in past administrations.

He noted that former President Muhammadu Buhari allowed service chiefs to remain in office longer than necessary, Tinubu on the other hand, demonstrated readiness to make changes when needed.

He explained that while some might interpret the move as a response to rumours of a coup, others would see it as a confidence-building step to restore discipline and trust within the military. He said the president acted wisely by not taking chances with the nation’s security.

“If there was really a coup rumour, the president was right to act fast. No leader should take chances with national security. But the real question is, will this decision help improve security in Nigeria? That’s what we have to see.” he added.

Agbakoba also warned against any attempt to return Nigeria to military rule, describing it as a dangerous path that could undermine democratic progress, especially given the recent spate of coups in some African countries.

During the interview, Agbakoba also spoke about his new policy paper titled “Devolution is the Solution,” which calls for replacing the 1999 Constitution with a new one that gives more powers to states and local governments.

He argued that the real problem facing Nigeria is not just the economy but the over-centralisation of power in Abuja. According to him, governors and local government chairmen are too dependent on the federal government for funds, which has made the system inefficient.

Agbakoba suggested that adopting fiscal federalism where each level of government controls its own resources could generate between ₦25 and ₦35 trillion in new yearly revenue.

He urged President Tinubu to personally lead efforts toward creating a new constitution, noting that the National Assembly and several national conferences had failed to deliver meaningful reform over the past 25 years.

He noted that for Nigeria to achieve true progress, the country must combine strong leadership decisions with a new political structure that empowers all levels of government.