progressive dehumanization of those that contributed to the unity,
stability and growth of the country.
They also complained about the unethicalness in the reports of the
Presidential Committee on Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian
Armed Forces.
At a meeting of top brass of different ethnic groupings in Kaduna, the
stakeholders not only opposed the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari,
which they described as selective but expressed surprise at the
shallowness of the government with regards to procurement procedures of
the Ministry of Defence.
“This action is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.
The country cannot afford the luxury of being coerced into the repressive
mannerisms of selective justice” a statement by Alhaji Adamu Bello said.
They described the accusations against retired military officers as
politically motivated.
The stakeholders accused the government of being selective and refusing to
indict key members of the current administration, believed to have played
questionable roles in military procurement since 2007.
They also accused the presidency of doctoring the Arms Procurement Probe
Report to shield certain individuals.
“These reports must be seen and taken for what they are- distorted images
of reality”.
They also carpeted the government for allegedly lying about the terms of
reference on the latest interim report on the ongoing probe into arms
procurement by successive government since 2007.
Raising questions on who is in charge of contract, the role of the
Ministry of Defence in awarding of contracts, the meaning and use of
operation fund, the attempt to criminalize it and the position of the
Procurement Act on this issue, the stakeholders advised President
Muhammadu Buhari to stop the politics of selection; stressing that such a
method could produce and sustain a chaotic order.
The leaders appealed to President Buhari to focus on issues that enhance
economic growth.
“The change agenda of the government has obviously removed food from the
tables in many homes. People can no longer make ends meet and all what we
can see is the daily increase of robbery, prostitution, kidnapping and
bombing of oil pipelines.
They also advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to
tread cautiously.
They also appealed to President Buhari to exercise restraints by calling
his media aides, the EFCC and the minister of information to order.