…Nigerians hail sack
…PDP says appointment is late
President Muhammadu Buhari has finally succumbed to public pressure to dispense with his Service Chiefs who are viewed to have overstayed their tenure for several years.
According to a press statement issued yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President, (Media and Publicity), Femi Adesina, President Buhari has accepted the immediate resignation of the Service Chiefs, and their retirement from service.
According to the appointments, Major-General Leo Irabor replaced General Abayomi Olonisakin as Chief of Defence Staff.
Air Vice-Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao is the new chief of air staff, succeeding Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
Rear-Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo is the successor to Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff.
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru is the new chief of army staff, replacing Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai.
The statement said the President thanked the old Service Chiefs for what he called their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country”.
Following the announcement, many Nigerians have hailed the Service Chiefs’ sack and the appointment of new ones by the President, saying it was ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’.
A strong critic of Buhari, Ayodele Fayose, said the sacked Service Chiefs only served themselves and their pockets and could at best be described as “Dis-service Chiefs” under whom Nigeria became completely insecure.
Senator Shehu Sani also said the removal of the Service Chiefs was good.
However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) lampooned the President, saying he acted late, “after much damage has been done”.
The party also demanded the probe of the four immediate-past Service Chiefs to unravel the circumstances behind the security lapses during their tenure.
