Military blasts Obasanjo, says behaviour unbecoming

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s allegation that the Service Chiefs were plotting tenure extension for President Goodluck Jonathan.

It claimed that the unguarded utterances of the former President were unbecoming and a serious embarrassment to the military.

It also said the military was better today than the institution which Obasanjo bequeathed to the nation.

The DHQ, which made its position known in a statement in Abuja, said Obasanjo’s comments were short of the standard of discipline expected of an individual who has had the privilege of service in the military and risen to the status of a General.

It assured the nation that it was not out to truncate the nation’s democracy.

The statement simply posted on the DHQ website was not signed. No military officer also wanted to make any comment on it when contacted. Reporters’ attention was merely drawn to it.

The statement said: “The Defence Headquarters has noted the remarks of a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as reported in the media, stating his views on perceived state of the armed forces and the roles being allegedly played by the military in the nation’s political process in recent times.

“The leadership and cross section of the military believe that the former President and retired General has every right to be interested in the actions and fate of the military. Hence, his views, like many others, will continue to be accorded the well-deserved attention.

“It is however noteworthy that most of his utterances lately indicate an attitude of playing to the gallery or indulging in politicisation of serious national security or military affairs.

“For instance, the comments credited to Chief 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.

“It is surprising indeed, considering the fact 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 position of the Armed Forces in the ongoing political activities.”

The DHQ said Obasanjo’s motive was less than noble or well-intentioned.

The statement added: “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.

“Much as the military desires to respect the old General and his views, it has become necessary to point out that his conduct and unguarded utterances of late have fallen short of the standard of discipline expected of an individual who has had the privilege of service in the military and risen to the status of a General.

“The behavior of retired General (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.”

The DHQ asked Obasanjo to rid himself of parochial mindset he had been used to.

It also said that officers and men in the military today were far better placed today.

It added: “We feel constrained to remind the old General that the world has moved beyond that parochial and self-adulating reasoning and mindset, 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 and it’s indispensability for the stable and prosperous society which Nigerians cherish.

“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 DHQ insisted that the military had been non-partisan in the political development of the nation.

The statement said: “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 non-partisan commitment to duty and fatherland.

“It has to be restated that the military, as an institution, is neither as inept in the discharge of its duties, nor is it being misused for political ends in the manner the retired General Obasanjo, who is also a former President, has possibly been made to believe.

“Indeed, the system now strongly believes in Democracy as well as its structures and institutions to the extent that it will do nothing whatsoever to undermine or truncate the steady growth and development of the nation’s democracy.”

The military assured the nation that it would continue to work for democracy and stability of the country.

It advised Obasanjo to be genuinely interested in the growth and sustenance of Nigeria’s democratic credentials.

The statement said: “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. He is also enjoined to endeavor to improve in his understanding of intricate issues and try to encourage the military rather than continue with this tendency to indulge in imputation of ulterior motives to every effort, all for the purpose of discrediting well thought out policies or decisions related to the military’s roles in the polity.

“The support of all well-meaning elderly Nigerians remains vital in the onerous duty of working for the stability,

defence, and peace of our country under duly constituted authorities in a democratic environment.”