Newly appointed
Defense Minister Aliyu Gusau has resigned.
Mr. Gusau’s sudden decision to quit
President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet arose from what the former minister
considered an act of insubordination and indiscipline from Nigeria’s top
military brass.
Several sources at the Defense Ministry
told SaharaReporters that Nigeria’s top military officers yesterday refused to
have a joint meeting with Mr. Gusau and his deputy, Musikilu Obanikoro, a
former senator.
Sources at the ministry told
SaharaReporters that Nigeria’s top military henchmen kept Mr. Gusau waiting for
two days after he summoned them to a meeting, with different military service
chiefs making excuses for their inability to meet with him and his deputy
immediately. Finally, the situation turned testy yesterday when, after keeping
Mr. Gusau and Mr. Obanikoro waiting for several hours, the Chief of Defense
Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, showed up alone for a meeting.
“When Air Marshal Badeh showed up, the
Minister of Defense told him he was expecting all the chiefs of staff within
the military, but Badeh reportedly told him there was no need,” said one source
at the ministry. Our sources added that Badeh also told Mr. Gusau that he alone
would be meeting with the minister as the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), stating
that this arrangement was the collective decision of military officers in the
country.
One source said an attempt by the junior
minister of defense, Mr. Obanikoro, to intervene was rudely brushed aside as
Badeh asked him to “shut up.” “Air Marshal Badeh is said to have called Senator
Obanikoro a ‘small boy’ and warned him that the military was not going to be
taking orders anymore from bloody civilians like him,” one source stated.
Soon after the altercation, General Gusau
(rtd) reportedly ended the meeting and asked the Permanent Secretary in the
ministry to transmit his letter of resignation to President Goodluck Jonathan.
SaharaReporters learnt that Mr. Jonathan,
who was rattled by the development, immediately charged Senate President David
Mark with the task of prevailing on Mr. Gusau to rescind his resignation. The
president reportedly promised to see that the issue was resolved expeditiously.
However, a source stated that Mr. Gusau
remained infuriated and refused to back away from his decision to leave the
cabinet. Late last night, President Jonathan paid a visit to Mr. Gusau’s home
in Abuja in a last-ditch effort to persuade him to stay at his ministerial job,
but Mr. Gusau refused to see the president.
Mr. Gusau kept away from today’s session of
the Federal Executive Council, a weekly meeting of all ministers with the
president. He reportedly told aides that he could not serve in a situation
where military officers would show open disdain for their civilian leaders and
him an experienced retired military man.
SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Obanikoro who
admitted obliquely that there was what he termed a “slight disagreement,” but
added that there was nothing serious.
An aide to Senator David Mark told
SaharaReporters that Mr. Gusau had sent his letter of resignation to the
Senate, which confirmed him after his nomination. The source added, however,
that Mr. Mark had refused to have the resignation letter read because the
senator was still hopeful of convincing Mr. Gusau to remain at his post.
Source: Sahara Reporter
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