The Nigerian presidency has cried out over the criticism of the nomination of former service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari for ambassadorial appointment by the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement on Saturday, asserted that “the President is rewarding hard work and exceptional sacrifice by a set of military leaders who gave their best to the nation and will be remembered, sooner than later, for their contributions to the security and survival of Nigeria as one nation.”
The PDP had berated the president of hurriedly appointing the former service chiefs within few days of retirement from service as ambassadors of the country. Unfortunately, the presidency in defence of the appointments as presented by Adesina, worsens President Buhari’s appointment criteria which according to the Media Adviser are rewarding for hard work; essentially, the hard work that did not solve Nigeria’s problem. This further explains that the president’s appointments are sheer patronage for rewards than offering opportunities to competent individuals.
However, Adesina expressed disgust that newspapers and online media were full of pages of ‘laughable’ criticisms of the President and former Service Chiefs by the PDP, the latest of which was the claim that they were nominated as ambassadors so as to shield them from trial by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
An angry Adesina in the statement declared: “How on earth can decent people run down hardworking professionals who have put in their best to defend their country? How can you run down your country and equate that with normal political dialogue and opposition?
“What is baffling about this false and baseless assertion is that this is coming, not from Boko Haram terrorists who the military kept largely in check and confined to a known section of the country, Sambisa, but from a so-called leading opposition party that fraudulently kept power for 16 years and is nursing the hope of one day returning to office as an elected government.
“What is more, under these corrupt politicians the insurgency conquered large swathes of territory – 18 Local Government Areas.
“Pray, if a political party, in a blind search for power can spurn the interest of the nation, embrace the language of hate campaign against the country’s military as enunciated by the terrorists, as the PDP does, what will be left for the Boko Haram to do? PDP is doing Boko Haram’s work!”
Adesina argued that this is an evidence-based era for arguments; he challenged the PDP to provide evidence of rights abuse against the military in the war against terrorists.
“Wouldn’t it be beneficial to the nation that they publish such evidence instead of levying grave accusations without proves? And to ask, in whose interest are they making these accusations that lack any depth,” Adesina protested.
The president’s media adviser was of the view that the ICC does not need to be lectured on democratic values and human rights by the PDP.
“Who are they, and what is their record in office to lecture anyone? Zaki Biam and Odi where thousands of citizens were on record, the genocide operation comes to mind. Did they report themselves to the ICC,” he said.
The S.A Media expressed that PDP’s attacks on the ambassadorial nominations should be seen in the context of the opposition party’s track record as a university of liars, whose modus operandi is to propagate lies.
Adesina maintained that the former service chiefs should be allowed to move to the next level as this is so that their examples will help to inspire others if given the opportunity to serve.
Meanwhile, Adesina deliberately shifted from the reality, perhaps, for the sake of making an argument or seeking sympathy. No one is petitioning the ICC on the fight against Boko Haram, the petition of the former service chiefs at the ICC, particularly, the Chief of Army Staff, is particularly, on the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, by the military on October 20, 2020.