A coalition of civil society organisations and community security, on Tuesday, urged President Bola Tinubu not to use the appointment of a National Security Adviser as compensation for political support given the critical role of the office to national security and stability.
“This is not the time to use the appointment of National Security Adviser for political compensation,” the Executive Director of the People’s Care and Advocacy Initiative, Danladi Isaac, said in Abuja on Tuesday.
Isaac explained that the coalition saw it fit to draw Tinubu’s attention to the issue as he prepares his cabinet.
He said “In normal times, national security looks to just protect citizens from internal and external threats. But these are no normal times. Nigeria’s present security challenges are daunting.
The new NSA must be a knowledgeable, innovative, and experienced personality that understands the security architecture of Nigeria. A personality that will earn technical support from the Global securities apparatus for a new secure Nigeria.
There is no room for mediocrity and lukewarmness. A tried and tested hand who has transformed or built a national security and diplomatic outfit will be a good fit. There is no time for theoreticians and office workers. It is urgent and critical. There is a crying need for complete transformative change in the security architecture in Nigeria.”
The PCAI said since 2018, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herdsmen clashes, illegal mining and oil bunkering have reached astronomical and intolerable heights that must be tackled by a proactive, bold, calculative professional.
“Apart from the aforementioned military security challenges, there are issues of economic security, involving multi-national agreements, mutual inter-dependence and availability of natural resources, with the freedom to exercise choice of policies to develop a nation’s economy in the manner desired by the exigencies of the market forces.
“President Tinubu is a vastly experienced politician, who judging by his utterances and actions in the last two weeks and more importantly who knows the gargantuan security challenges we presently face as a nation, would not be easily cowed by politically-induced influence but pragmatic consideration in the appointment of his NSA.
“We urge and appeal Mr President to shun politics in this vital appointment and consult widely for a logical conclusion by putting a round peg in a round hole in his choice as National Security Adviser,” Isaac said.
The coalition expressed confidence in the ability of Tinubu to deliver, noting that his first two weeks in office has provided the foundation for dialogue and consensus building.
“The removal of the subsidy on petrol was an issue that could easily have ignited fire amongst the populace, but President Tinubu doused the tension when he promptly intervened by physically having meetings with the stakeholders in the oil industry as well as with the Labour Union, to calm agitating nerves.
“He was also able to convince the health workers to sheath their swords by suspending their strike. He also signed into law the harmonisation of judiciary officers across all levels in terms of their retirement age and pension.
“And just on Monday, June 12, Democracy Day, he also signed into law, the student loan bill, which basically provides interest-free loans to indigenous Nigerian students to pursue their education with less stress.
“All these in two weeks. While this period is definitely nothing in the assessment of Tinubu’s administration, it is a pointer that he is ready to provide platforms for dialogue and consensus building,” PCAI said.
