July 22, 2014 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has lamented what he called proliferation of bad eggs in the Nigerian military.
The governor who made the observation when Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah paid him a courtesy call in Lagos said such bag eggs are also present in public institutions and called on the military to refrain from all forms of operations capable of undermining the democratic process.
“But this institution has done very well for Nigeria, as a body. Like every institution, there are bad eggs within the institution. We are in the minority, and we must continue to do everything possible to show them up for who they are, ” he said.
He however acknowledged the strategic role of military institutions in building of developed democracies in the European Union and North America and urged the military to make positive input in building Nigeria’s democracy.
According to him, it is important to reinforce the role that the military across the world have played in democracy and that students of military history know quite well that many democracies across the world even in Europe have military institutions.
He cited the example of former US President George Washington and another US President Franklin Roosevelt among others, who had served in the military before they became US presidents.
“While society moved on, as we have done, the military owes an obligation to do everything possible to sustain democracy and refrain from anything that undermines it; whether in the mind of the people or as a matter of fact. In essence, the military must become like Caesar’s wife avoid suspicion in conduct and in deed. I know as I said yesterday while inaugurating the tribunal to make inquiry into the circumstances that played with the life of that young soldier on our road.
Earlier in his speech, Minimah explained that he could not commence familiarisation tour of the military formations six months after he assumed office due to very tight schedule.
