A call has been made to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack all inherited security chiefs from former President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Making the call at the heels of a well attended Niger Delta stakeholders meeting in Portharcourt, the Rivers state capital on Wednesday, the Mayor of Urhoboland, Eshanakpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro, said having successfully taken over the rein of power, the President ought to have relieved the service chiefs of their potfolios within his first seven days in office.
He noted that the current lethergy being shown by the president is dangerous and inimical to democracy in Nigeria.
The call, according to the Urhobo Delta born former ex-militant leader, is hinged on the need to change the security apparatus of the former president, arguing that a man who works with another man’s implements may not make reasonable success.
He stressed that history of governance in Africa is replete with such avoidable delays in sacking inherited security chiefs whom he noted turned around to violently change the government as he urged the 16th Nigerian president to learn from history.
Akpodoro who doubles as the founder of the Urhobo Youth Forum for Change, UYFC, said the current military were part and parcel of the past failure of security in the country noting that there’s no good reason for retaining the incumbent heads of security lest the president will unconsciously place the country on a keg of gunpowder.
Not even with several ethnic agitations across the country and the current energy crisis, the Mayor said the handlers of the President should make him see reasons to overhaul the security system which he noted should start with the sacking of the head of security agencies.
He said vibrant and career oriented security men and women are all over the agencies who should be appointed into positions in the nation’s security apparatus.
He said President Tinubu should consider his suggestion as a wakeup call on the president and commander so as not to jeopardise the mandate freely given to him by the Nigerian electorates at the polls on February 25, 2023.
Pointedly, the Mayor stated that those Nigerians who contributed to the 8,805,420 votes at the polls for the incumbent president want him to succeed and lead the country unfettered but are not comfortable seeing the faces of those who backpedalled the progress and success of the former president in the security front.
A particular one, the former warlord noted, was dragged to the court under the previous administration and was asked to proceed on his retirement but unfortunately he is staying put enjoying the spoils of office in a manner that depicts gross irresponsibility at the detriment of younger officers who should be appointed.
He said: “Go around security formations across the country and you will find able bodied young officers who are tasty to add their quota to the growth and development of the nation’s security system but are being impeded by those who have chosen to perpetuate themselves in office.
“These are the security apparatus who worked with the former President, why are they lurking around the incumbent lazily for want of perpetuity?
“We were here in Nigeria shortly after the elections when disgruntled elements protested to military barracks calling them out to sack a constitutional administration and takeover the reign of power.
“In this regard, no amount of subterfuge can make Nigerians believe that most officers were not in sync with such anti democratic elements and their call.”
The vociferous leader added that with calibre of security heads in the country, safety of lives and property remains a mirage, hence, he said the President should should show them the exit door since they feign of same.
