February 14, 2015 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has called on Service Chiefs in the country to resign for saying that they are not able to guarantee the security of Nigerians during proposed February 14, 2015 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had rescheduled the election for March 28 and April 11, 2015 on the basis that Service Chiefs, comprising, Chief of Army State, Gen. Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adeola Amosun wrote that they are not able to guarantee security during the election but their attention will be in the North-east where it will be battling the insurgents on February 14, 2015.
But Fashola who was speaking at an interactive forum with members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said it is the primary duty of the military to protect lives and property adding that in a country that works, the path of honour was for the service chiefs to throw in the trowel.
He said there is no perfection in election organised anywhere in the world.
“No perfection in election planning, but it not an excuse to do things sloppily, but the truth is that there is no perfection. But when people whose only job is to secure the nation now say they cannot secure the nation, there has been an institutional failure, no doubt in my mind.
“In a nation where things work, they should have taken the part of honour, that we have done our best, we surrender on condition, that is the part of honour”, he said.
He explained that to withdraw security from INEC is no longer about service but quest to remain in power.
The governor lamented that it is shameful for the Nigerian Army which usually protects the whole sub-region to now require help from Cameroon, Niger and others to battle insurgents in Nigeria.
Fashola who thanked the students for undertaking to take the campaign for the Muhammadu Buhari/ Professor Yemi Osibanjo to the hinterland said the election is not about tribe and religion.
“You have articulated the issues, the undertaking is to go with our conviction and clear understanding that we all know what we are doing. This is not about tribe, not about religion, not about Christian or Muslim, it is about our liberties. Price of freedom is unquantifiable”, he said adding that what is present in Nigeria is a president for whom words now mean nothing.
“What you have is a government, a party and a leader, the President for whom the spoken word means nothing any more. Think back about anything that affected your lives, how many versions have you heard”, he said.
He said that recent development has shown that deception is giving way to desperation.
“You are seeing a government that begged to get power, now ready to kill to stay in power. You go and form your opinion, it is beyond party contest, it is about our country because when things are normal, why do you need soldiers etc. if you really want to serve, why should it be this difficult”, the governor queried.
He said that few years ago, some people predicted that Nigeria will disintegrate.
“It will not happen because things will start falling from the skies, no but all the institutions will simply stop working. What you have seen last week is a pointer to that. Why should the date of election go beyond Council of State”, he said adding that what has happened amounts to internal subversion.
He alleged that the consequence is that investment has slowed down.
“The Stock Market is in a free fall, investors are pulling out. When stock is falling it is a bad sign, only healthy companies will employ”, he said adding that the election is about getting the soul of the country back from a government that is deficit in morality”, he said.
Earlier, leader of the students, Mr. Gbadebo Fagbemi said he and his team are determined to take campaign into the hinterland and that it hopes to organise protest on Sunday(today) to press home their demands that the new date for election is sacrosanct.
