By Temidayo Akinsuyi
A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka on Wednesday said President Bola Tinubu and his predecessor, former president Muhammadu Buhari have destroyed the military with their appointments which are nepotistic and does not reflect true nationalism.
Chidoka spoke while featuring as a guest on Channels Television programme ‘Sunrise Daily’ which was monitored by QUESTTIMES.
According to Chidoka, former President Buhari destroyed the Nigerian military by allowing former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai to remain in office even after he has gone past his retirement age.
He said “I thought that the eight years of Buhari and the nepotism and challenges of appointment we had under him would lead us to a situation where we would have a more nationalistic approach to appointments. Buhari destroyed the Nigerian military by allowing General Tukur Buratai to stay in the military longer than his retirement age. So, a lot of officers were retired who could have made it to the top”.
“Now, eventually he appointed somebody from Course 35 as the Chief of Army Staff. The guy died in a plane crash. He leaves all the members of Course 35, leaves the members of Course 36, the first course in Nigeria that has a university degree. That was one of the most brilliant courses in the Nigerian military – Course 36. That was the first time the NDA awarded degrees to military officers”.
“ So, they retired the whole of 35 and 36 and Buhari went to Course 37 to find somebody from Sokoto State and he appointed him Chief of Army Staff. So, he retired that cream of officers at the time when we needed their services most for Nigeria”.
Speaking further, Chidoka said President Tinubu on assumption of office, sacked the Chief of Army Staff who is from Course 37. He then bypassed officers from Course 37 and 38 and went to Course 39
“ President Tinubu comes, he leaves Course 37 where the Chief of Army Staff is from. He leaves Course 38 which is the following Course and went to Course 39 and appointed a Yoruba man as Chief of Army Staff. Again, another bloodletting in the military.
“So, we find a situation where everybody is now looking at who will be the president? Definitely, the Chief of Army Staff will come from his ethnic group. So, the loyalty of senior army officers is now in doubt”.