APC Group: Retaining Service Chiefs Weakens Officers’ Morale

APC Group: Retaining Service  Chiefs Weakens Officers’ Morale

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Consolidation Forum, a support group within the ruling party, has called for the appointment of new service chiefs to rev up the fight against the multi-pronged security issues currently bedevilling the country.

A statement signed by the organisation’s National Coordinator, Dr Usman Muhammad and the National Youth Leader, Hajiya Hauwa Malakachaa, advised the president not to be swayed by those insisting that the status quo must be retained.

The group stated that the continuous retention of the security chiefs in spite of the expiration of their tenures and years of service in the nation’s armed forces had weakened morale among officers and men of the service.

However, the group hailed President Muhammadu Buhari, for what it said were assurances it received through some respected Nigerians that he would soon rejig the security apparatuses to reverse the worsening security system in the country.
While regretting that for long, the country’s growth and development had been hindered principally by insecurity, the APC forum asked the president to take the first step in the restructuring by relieving the service chiefs of their positions.

It added that the development had contributed in no small measure to the country’s lingering security problems.
“Mr President should wield the big stick by sacking the service chiefs and replacing them with younger officers who will bring new ideas to the table. Enough is enough!

“We make this suggestion because of what we are seeing on the ground. The morale of fighting officers and soldiers is very low because of career stagnation and lack of motivation and no armed forces in the world can effectively win a war with this condition.
“While we must admit that sacking the service chiefs may not be the only solution to resolving the current insecurity quagmire, it is the first step to go, considering what we have on ground in the north east.

“However, we want to passionately appeal to our dear president not to allow anyone to convince him on just cosmetic restructuring of the armed forces because a sick fighting horse cannot treat itself,” the group maintained.

According to the forum, the current service chiefs have overstayed and have lost fresh ideas and commitment to change the security dynamics in the country.

“Most officers who are in strategic positions of policy implementation have also lost interest in discharging their duties because they are not sure of growing since the service chiefs are still in charge.

“As it stands today, directives from the service chiefs are being violated at will because of lack of zeal. This is the bane of security in the country. Until the president appoints fresh hands with full commitment and out-of-the box thinking, we won’t get it right in the security sector,” it noted.

The group said that the situation of the north east children was getting worse by the day, stressing that the plight of women in the area has also become pathetic.

“The condition of the people in the region is getting worse. We are therefore appealing to the president to as a matter of urgency sack the service chiefs and replace them with younger and committed officers.

“This should be the first step in the restructuring. We remain your ardent supporters and we must tell you the truth that Nigerians are tired of excuses from the service chiefs,” the APC group stated.

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