Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has urged the Army High Command to desist from posting battalions of soldiers to politicians, saying that the exercise was counter-productive and a threat to national security.
The governor said that the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, should go beyond complaining that politicians are hobnobbing with soldiers and take action to check the disturbing trend.
Speaking during the flag off of the construction of the Old Aba Road by Mbano junction in Oyigbo Local Government Areaof the state on Wednesday, Governor Wike said that all over the world, only the Commander-in-Chief has soldiers guarding him.
He regretted that in Nigeria, the authorities had made it a practice to allocate soldiers to politicians in the good books of the Federal Government, with such soldiers used for undemocratic actions against the people.
“Who are those approving battalions of soldiers to politicians? If they don’t want soldiers to follow politicians, they should stop giving soldiers to politicians.
“It is only in Nigeria that soldiers follow politicians. They should stop soldiers from being security details to politicians. Somebody comes home and they will give him battalions of soldiers and they say soldiers should not hobnob with politicians.
“All over the world, it is only the commander-in-chief that is allowed to use soldiers. But here, you see soldiers following politicians everywhere,” he said.
On the construction of Old Aba Road by Mbano Junction in Oyigbo Local Government Area, the governor assured the people of the area that the road would be completed on schedule. He added that the Old Market Road to Afam would be awarded and constructed by his administration in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
He said that since the APC-led Federal Government had refused to complete the East West Road, his administration would continue to develop alternative routes to lubricate the Rivers economy.
Governor Wike said that his performance had silenced the APC, urging the people of the state to turn out en masse for the voter registration, so that they could vote out failed politicians.
In his remarks, Works Commissioner, Mr. Iheanyichuwu Bathuel, said that Old Aba Road by Mbano junction was a critical economic road that connected neighbouring states.
Also speaking, Caretaker Committee Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Dr. Gbali Chisom, lauded Governor Wike for commencing the construction of the road.
The highpoint of the road flag off was the presentation of gifts to the Rivers State Governor by the political leader of Oyigbo, Ambassador Desmond Akawor.
Source – Daily Times
