The Defence Headquarters in a remark on
its Facebook page on Monday had accused the former President of
politicising serious national security and military issues.
The military authorities were reacting
to a statement credited to the former President that the general
elections were postponed to enable President Goodluck Jonathan to use
the Service Chiefs for tenure extension in an electronic mail on Monday.
But a former Chief of Army Staff , Gen.
Alani Akinrinade (retd.),in a telephone interview with our
correspondent, condemned the military authorities over the comments.
Akinrinade said Obasanjo was exercising
his political rights, adding that it was absurd for a junior officer to
say anything against his superiors.
The ex-general said, “Obasanjo has
exercised his political rights. I think his joining politics is what is
causing this nonsense. What is the business of the Defence Headquarters
in politics anyway? How did they get to the point where they are reading
political statement by politicians. They are now reacting to it.
Obasanjo didn’t abuse the armed forces. He must have his reasons for
what he said. It is a very bad idea for a junior officer to come out in
the public and chastise an ex-commander-in-chief.”
Also, a former Director of Army Legal
Services, Col. Akin Kejawa (retd.), described the comments against
Obasanjo as being the product of “the indiscipline that the military has
degenerated into.”
Kejawa, cautioned the military
authorities, saying the reaction betrayed the tenets of respect and
discipline that the army was noted for.
According to him, the comments made mockery of the army.
He said, “It is unethical. They should
know how to respect elders. I have read the report this morning and
don’t think that is good. It is very disrespectful. He was a former head
of state and he should be accorded due respect, no matter what he has
said.
“This is what we are calling indiscipline
in the military. A commander is doing something; you cannot come out
and start condemning him. In the military, we don’t do things like that.
That is my own personal view and as a lawyer with experience in
military law, that is not proper. Can somebody call his father a stupid
person? No matter what mistake he has made, you can’t dishonour him.”
When contacted, the first Military
Administrator of Osun State, Maj. Gen. Leo Ajiborisa (retd.), declined
to comment on the matter because it was against military etiquette to
speak about his superiors.
He said, “I don’t discuss political
issue. It is insubordination for anybody to write about his senior.
Military etiquette does not teach us that way, so I am not interested in
pronouncing anything. I am not a politician; they can go and sort their
matter.”
When contacted for his comment, retired
Maj. Gen. Zamani Lekwot, said he should be given time to mourn his
younger brother’s wife, who he said, just died on Tuesday morning.
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