Your Appointments Not Opportunity To Play Politics, NUJ Tells New Service Chiefs

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has advised the country’s newly appointed Service Chiefs to draw a line between their political offices and partisan politics.

NUJ National President, Chris Isiguzo, gave the counsel in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER on Thursday.

President Muhammadu Buhari had made an unexpected replacement of the country’s Service Chiefs on Tuesday. The replacement came after months of pressure from the National Assembly, media organizations and socio-cultural groups, amongst others.

The Presidency had announced that Buhari appointed Major-General Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea Irabor as the new Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu  Gambo as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao as the new Chief of Air Staff.

The NUJ urged the new security chiefs to always keep in mind that they were not appointed for merriment, but for hard work.

The statement partly reads: “It is our hope, that the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Leo Irabor, will properly coordinate the other Service Chiefs to immediately confront Boko Haram insurgents, banditry and kidnappings appropriately in the best interest of the country.

“The new Service Chiefs must not see their assignments as opportunities to amass wealth for themselves, families or friends, but rather as a challenge to re-engineer the country’s security architecture that has suffered serious setbacks.”

The union also urged the new Service Chiefs not to ignore the welfare of officers and soldiers, “because success can only be achieved through boosting the morale of troops at various areas of operations.”

It further urged the Service Chiefs to, “stay away from politics if they must succeed where their predecessors did not do well. What Nigerians need now, is the security of their lives and property to enable them live decent lives.

“While we appeal to the Federal Government to provide adequate arms and equipment, to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of the fighting men and women, we appeal for the continuous support of Nigerians for the armed forces.”