Politics
WIKE TO BURATAI: Don’t grumble, stop assigning soldiers to politicians
In the wake of an alarm by the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, that soldiers were hobnobbing with politicians, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has queried the army chief.
Wike said Buratai should not be complaining about the disturbing rapport between politicians and soldiers, while he still allows soldiers to be assigned to the politicians.
Wike therefore said that rather than complain, the Army High Command must desist from posting soldiers to politicians.
The governor was responding to the recent warning by Buratai that politicians should stop approaching soldiers for reasons best known to them and that soldiers should remain apolitical.
Buratai had disclosed that the warning followed information from Nigerian Army headquarters that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons.
But speaking on the issue during the flag off of the construction of Old Aba Road by Mbano junction in Oyigbo Local Government Area on Wednesday, Wike wondered how Buratai could issue such warning when he still allows soldiers to follow politicians.
Read also: Senate not mocking Buhari’s anti-graft war –Saraki
He said, “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.”
Wike’s response came as the British government also on Wednesday warned against “non-democratic” change of government in Nigeria.
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