By Akin Fadeyi
Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. Yes, Wike was irascible and could have been more refined in his approach. But the kind of statements you’re all issuing now are concerning.
I have NOTHING against Lt. Yerima and I wrote a very objective position on him and the issue yesterday. However, the way you guys are falling all over yourselves to defend a military officer who was guarding a private property of a retired Naval Chief from the Northern extraction of Nigeria leaves a very curiously concerning optics in the air. You’re almost making people feel like you’ve finally been given an opportunity to open the door for those who want to come after the President and his government.
You all know that as Minister of FCT, Wike is your colleague in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet and you sure all understand that these conversations you’re throwing out there can hold within government to be dealt with. But apparently, you all seem to have conveniently forgotten or ignored the fact that government is a collective responsibility.
That’s pretty sad as it seems Yerima-Wike imbroglio is now the door-opening catalyst for you to vent pent-up “what do we call it” against the same government you’re serving in on behalf of certain interests.
Gen. Buratai, an elder statesman does not send out ethnic bigotry signals. Your quick jump in defence of one of your own for want of another description of this, was distasteful. So, on this note, I am completely against your attempts, speaking tongue in cheek, in pretentious defence of “military doctrine” to run Wike down. Come off it. We read through the lines.
And for those of you jumping from wall to wall defending nonsense, you appear old enough to read the news but very illiterate to understand the laws. According to the rules stated in Armed Forces Act of Nigeria, section 114 (1) and (2) “All retired personnel, except if recalled to active duty are considered CIVILIANS AND ARE SUBJECT TO CIVIL LAW”.
Yerima was guarding a private property of a civilian and as such, he was not on active duty in defence of the territorial integrity of Nigeria. The “orders he received” that you’re parroting about is therefore contestable if not moot, ab initio.
But unfortunately, some of you are too consumed by I-TOO-KNOW sense of self importance to read this. Once there is a BÓÓLÈKÁJÀ opportunity against the government you hate, you don’t want to see, hear or embrace any other learning. You are an intellectual cheapskate.
You have nothing to give and see nothing to learn. You hate Wike so much, but there’s a BLOCK LETTER “WIKEISM” in your dark heart. You’re also looking at the surface of this alone. You’re too naive to read the room. Your naivety-infested hubris stinks to high heavens. You’ll soon learn.
Here is a moment of bitter truth: President Bola Tinubu has taken certain steps in the past to ruffle the feathers of the establishment. The disgruntlement from certain quarters have been loudly quiet. But it seems YERIMA’s audacity against a serving Minister is situating us now on the cusp of events unforeseen. The nation’s security architecture must be firmly guarded. Something is not feeling right.
These are difficult things to write but these are difficult times we’re dealing with.