Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt with agency report

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has advised the Army High Command to desist from posting soldiers to politicians, saying it is counter-productive and a threat to national security.

The governor said 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.




This is just as the British government has warned against “non-democratic” change of government in Nigeria, amid concerns over Buratai’s warning on Tuesday to officers and soldiers in the Nigerian Army to steer clear of politics and politicians, whom he claimed were attempting to influence them.

He said the Nigerian Army headquarters had received information that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons.

On this basis, Buratai warned such persons to desist from these acts and warned his men to remain apolitical.

However, speaking during the flag off of the construction of Old Aba Road by Mbano junction in Oyigbo Local Government Area Wednesday, Wike said all over the world, only the commander-in-chief has soldiers guarding him.

He regretted that in Nigeria, the authorities have made it a practice to allocate soldiers to politicians who are in the good books of the federal government, with such being soldiers used for undemocratic actions against the people.
He wondered: “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 accompany politicians. They should stop soldiers from being security details to politicians. Somebody comes home and they will give him a battalion 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.”
On the construction of Old Aba Road, the governor assured residents of the area that the road would be completed on schedule.

He added that the Old Market Road to Afam would also be awarded and constructed by his administration in Oyigbo Local Government Area.

He said since the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led federal government has refused to complete the East West Road, his administration would continue to develop alternative routes to lubricate the Rivers economy.

He said that his performance has silenced the APC, urging the people of the state to turn out en masse for the voters’ registration exercise, so that they can vote out failed politicians.

In his remarks, Works Commissioner, Mr. Iheanyichuwu Bathuel, said the Old Aba Road at the Mbano junction was a critical economic road that connects neighbouring states.

Also speaking, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Oyigbo Local Government Area, Dr. Gbali Chisom, lauded Wike for commencing construction of the road.
Meanwhile, the British government Wednesday warned against “non-democratic” change of government in Nigeria.

Making the comment, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Paul Arkwright, said: “The British government believes that democracy is actually critical in Nigeria.

“There are elections. If you’re not happy with your leaders then you should change your leadership through the democratic process and through elections.”

According to online news medium, Premium Times, the High Commissioner spoke on the sidelines of an event held in Abuja to formally launch a new report on corruption in Nigeria, which was put together by UK policy think-tank, Chatham House.

The UK envoy, while recognising the rights of citizens to agitate for a more tolerable living conditions, said his country would only encourage a change of power through the ballot box.

“Our position is very clear: we stand for democracy, we stand for the democratic process and we stand for change —if that is what the people themselves want,” the diplomat said.

“That has to be a choice the people make and not a choice that is imposed upon them.”


https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/05/18/stop-allocating-soldiers-to-politicians-wike-replies-buratai/

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gf

Ok sir. I will try not to give you soldiers but others will get it. Mind you, don't complain in future!

I totally agree with you Governor Nyesom wike

Wike are you normal..

So who should they allocate them to
Pastors?


They should give even counsellors soldiers so that there will be no more soldier left to mount all those nasty checkpoints

fabuloz1:
Ok sir. I will try not to give you soldiers but others will get it. Mind you, don't complain in future!

He is 100% right

This is the function of military

The first requirement of the military is to establish it as a force with the capability to execute national defence policy. ... One of the roles of military command is to translate policy into concrete missions and tasks, and to express them in terms understood by subordinates, generally called orders.

Gbam! Well Spoken my ever Voracious governor.. Soldiers are bigger than that sh*t... Its a Police thing.

NwaObinkita:
Wike are you normal..

So who should they allocate them to
Pastors?


They should give even counsellors soldiers so that there will be no more soldier left to mount all those nasty checkpoints

Brotherly Soldier is for Combats, Police is for Protection. Do Politicians need combatants or protectors?

NwaObinkita:
Woke are you normal..

So who should they allocate them to
Pastors?

Number one his name is wike not woke

Secondly he's 100% right on this

Thirdly is there anywhere he mentioned that they should allocate to him

Finally check the bottom plate of your system for oil seal leakage

sarrki:
I totally agree with you Governor Nyesom wike

Sarrki this why you are different from all the BMC staff. Not NgeneUkwenu that is always against any good idea of his and her enemy. Emphasis on his and her.

JideAmuGiaka:



Sarrki this why you are different from all the BMC staff. Not NgeneUkwenu that is always against any good idea of his and her enemy. Emphasis on his and her.

Thank you sire

Wike is right on this one, you don't politicize the military and then wonder why they're not apolitical.

Allocating soldiers to politicians is the reason why there is More soldiers on the street than the barracks

sarrki:


Thank you sire

Clown

Ameachi has more than 50 soldiers guiding him

sarrki:



Thank you sire

I see my Summer Slam really worked on your system



How are you doing in Almajiri Kano

He is saying the truth

I dont know if this man called wike thinks before he talks, he forgets so soon how his security team including military, police and SS was more than that of a governor when he was junior minister of education. Even senator Thompson sekibo during Jonathan's era had several team of military men protecting him simply because he was house committee chairman on military affair.

Anyways, wike should be watched closely and Brutai should not listen to wike, All high profile APC members in Rivers state should have both military men and DSS protecting them because election is at the corner, assuming late Bar. Ken Atswuete had military men protecting him, maybe he would have been alive till today. Every day the opposition party members in rivers state gets killed and all the governor is not even concerned.Anyways by their fruits you shall know them, it is not by going to church every Sunday, or declaring Rivers State as a christian state and even building a wasteful christian ecumenical centre when school and hospital structures are begging for maintenance.

Mujaheeeden:
I see my Summer Slam really worked on your system



How are you doing in Almajiri Kano

You wey runaway

see who dey talk...and to see some people already supporting him. the guy has more soldiers protecting him when he was minister...even now sef. He said the truth anyway but am not impressed with him

Nigeria is now a millitary zone