Senate Rejects Motion Asking Buhari to Appoint Service Chief from South East

The Senate on Tuesday rejected a motion urging President
Muhammadu Buhari to appoint a military officer from South East as
Service Chief in line with the Federal Character Principle as
enshrined in the constitution.

Senator Victor Umeh(APGA Anambra Central) had while moving a
motion at plenary titled “Urgent need to appoint a representative
of the South East into the National Defence Council and National
Security Council” urged President Buhari to reconstitute membership
of the National Defence Council and National Security Council, by
appointing an officer from the South East as Service Chief for
equitable representation of the people of the region in the
Council.

He explained that by virtue of Section 153(1)(g), more
particularly third schedule part 1 of the 1999 Constitution, the
Council shall comprise of the President as the chairman, Vice
President as deputy chairman, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence
Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air
Staff, and such other members as the president may appoint.

According to him “the exclusion of the South East from
appointment of Service Chiefs will continue to cause the feeling of
alienation, neglect and consequential agitation among the people of
South East”.

“The inclusion of the South East among the Service Chiefs will
automatically accord them membership of the National Defence
Council and National Security Council and will go a long way in
assuaging their feelings of isolation and neglect”.

Umeh was also “convinced that immediate appointment of an
officer from the South East as Service Chief will enhance the
feeling of oneness among the South Easterners towards other parts
of Nigeria”.

He explained that the Council was constitutionally empowered to
advise the president on matters relating to defence of the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria, and those
relating to public security, including those effecting any
organisation or agency established by law for ensuring security of
the country.

The legislator therefore expressed concern that none of the
Service Chiefs as appointed to the Council comes from the South
East region “as firmly enshrined in the Constitution through the
spirit and principle of federal character”.

Contributing to the motion, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia
South), who wondered why Buhari excluded the region from the
Council, alleged misinterpretation of the Constitution by the
President.

Abaribe, who said he had in the past led the South East caucus
in the National Assembly to the President on the matter, alleged
that “it’s a deliberate attempt not to include the region as part
of the security architecture of this country”.

The Deputy Senate Leader , Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC Kebbi
South), however, accused sponsor of the motion of “gross
misunderstanding of the provisions of the Constitution on the
matter” and warned against politicising security issues in the
country.

Na’Allah, who cautioned the Senate to be extremely careful over
the matter, maintained that “it has never been a deliberate policy
of any government since 1999 to exclude any section of the
country”.

On his part, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC Kano North), described
the motion as misleading and asked its sponsor to apologise to the
lawmakers for misleading them.

He argued that the Ministers of Internal Affairs, and Foreign
Affairs, who are members of the Council were omitted by Senator
Umeh in his motion, stressing that the incumbent Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, hails from the South East.

Also coming from a constitutional point of order 153(g), Senator
Mao Ohunabuwa (PDP Abia North), said it’s a security matter that
should not be trivialised and therefore sought the support of his
colleagues on the matter.

Senate President Bukola Saraki said although the motion was
moved with good intention but will definitely be misinterpreted if
subjected to debate.
According to him, “we may not be able to reach a consensus on the
matter because Senators will be sharply divided on the issue”.

He therefore refused to call for the adoption of the prayers
associated with the motion but only said “all issues raised are
well noted.”

Senator Makarfi Condemns Kaduna Crises, Commends
Security Agencies

The sad episode of Kasuwar Magani and the resultant spillover
and skirmishes in Kaduna have given great cause for concern to
Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, who views them as a setback in the
quest for lasting peace in the state.

The Senator is pained that after having come this far, some of
our people still find it difficult to settle disputes without
resorting to violence, with all the history at our disposal, which
teaches us that much as human society cannot permanently live
without one form of conflict or another, resort to arms has never
been the solution.

Senator Makarfi appeals to the people to always eschew violence
and embrace the time-tested process of constructive engagement
through dialogue with one another, which has always proven to be a
more effective and sustainable conflict resolution mechanism.

The Senator commends the role played by the various security
agencies, as well as community and religious leaders in
facilitating a return to normalcy. He also condoles with the
government and people of Kaduna State and families who lost dear
one’s even as he also commiserated with those injured and others
who suffered losses on account of the unfortunate incidents.

Sgd

Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo