New Service Chiefs: Wike commends Buhari; APC rallies support for appointees; PDP tasks on security; PANDEF, others react

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing new Service Chiefs for the country.

Governor Wike, in a statement by Paulinus Nsirim, Commissioner for Information and Communications, noted that though the appointments came late, the President should be commended for listening to the voice of the people.

He challenged the new appointees to see their appointments as an opportunity to re-engineer the nation’s security architecture which has suffered tremendous setback in the last five years.

“The new Service Chiefs should not politicise security by aligning with politicians.

“What the country needs now is competence and professionalism that will reduce insecurity to the barest minimum,” he stated.

Governor Wike noted that Nigerians who lost confidence in the former Service Chiefs are looking up to the new appointees to make the desired change.

He called on all levels of government to give the Service Chiefs the needed support they would require to execute their assignments.

“This is an opportunity to serve the nation and I believe that the Service Chiefs will be focused and dedicated,” he added.

By Emmanuel Mogbede
Abuja, Jan. 26, 2021
In their reaction to the new appointments, the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged the public to support the newly appointed Service Chiefs to perform their constitutional roles of protecting the country’s territorial integrity and tackle emerging security threats.
Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, the National Secretary of the APC
Caretaker Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, made the call in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja while welcoming the appointment of the new service chiefs.
Akpanudoedehe expressed confidence that the new service chiefs would consolidate on the remarkable achievements of their predecessors in keeping the country safe and peaceful.
He also urged increased synergy among the armed forces in achieving these tasks.
He noted that recent incidents in the country had triggered divisive rhetorics in some quarters, adding that it was counterproductive and dangerous to national security when we put ethnic spins to issues affecting us.
Akpanudoedehe stressed that in tackling security threats, we should criminalise crime, not ethnicity.
He further added that as a nation, our strength remained in our diversity, saying that the nation should continue to forge unity in its diversity.
He called for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding among Nigerians irrespective of the part of the country they chose to live and work.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newly appointed service chiefs are Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.

By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja, Jan. 26, 2021 (NAN)

Meanwhile, the PDP on Tuesday, advised the new service chiefs to brace up to the challenges of the nation.
The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja urged the service chiefs to note that their appointment at this time demanded a huge sense of commitment.
Ologbondiyan added that the appointment also demanded responsibility and determination to secure the nation and restore peace, order and national cohesiveness in the Nigerian polity.
Ologbondiyan urged the new service chiefs to take urgent steps to restore professionalism and boost the morale of the nation’s troops.
He also urged them to ensure that the services did not fall into indolence, corruption, recklessness, abuse of process and partisanship.
“The new commanders must note that Nigerians are looking up to them as professionals to remove terrorists, bandits and other outlaws ravaging our nation from our landscape,” he said.
Ologbondiyan, however, said that the PDP demanded an immediate inquest into the tenure of the last service chiefs to unravel the circumstances behind the security lapses.
“Our party insists that such must be the sure step toward sanitising the security architecture as well as lifting the morale of those in the front lines risking their lives for the security of our nation,” he said.

In his reaction, the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chief Ralph Nwosu, expressed hope that the new appointments would boost the morale of security personnel.
Nwosu said that the President exercised his right to appoint or remove service chiefs.
“All the same, I believe that this will help the morale of our military personnel. Nigeria has superbly trained and schooled officers but politicians are causing disaffection in the system.
“This explains the woes in the country. I pray that the new team will be broadminded and mindful of the decisions that they make,” he said.
Nwosu urged Nigerians to work together to rescue the country.

By Edeki Igafe

Warri (Delta) Jan. 26, 2021

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) commended President Buhari on the appointment of new service chiefs in a statement on Tuesday through its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, in Warri.

The forum, however, expressed hope that the new service chiefs would discharge their duties professionally and in the best interest of the country.

“Though the removal of the erstwhile service chiefs was long overdue, we commend President Buhari for finally responding to calls by well-meaning Nigerians.

“We congratulate the new service chiefs and hope that they will discharge their duties and responsibilities professionally without biases and tendencies in the best interest of the country,” the forum said.

By Stanley Nwanosike
Enugu, Jan. 26, 2021 (NAN)

The Daniel Ukwu Leadership Foundation (DULF), an Enugu-based Civil Society Organisation, says appointment of new service chiefs is a proactive step in the right direction.
The Executive Director of DULF, Mr Daniel Ukwu, disclosed this to the NAN on Tuesday while reacting to the appointment of the four new service chiefs.
Ukwu noted that it was good that fresh hands and ideas were brought in to help solve the protracted security challenges confronting the country.
“It is a good proactive step and in the right direction as the nation contends with myriads of security challenges.
“I believe that fresh hands and ideas are needed now in the country to tackle security challenges, which chief among them is insurgency.
“Let’s see, if these new chiefs would bring lasting solution to insecurity in the country,’’ he said.