The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is capable of delivering on the responsibilities of his office.
The recent horrific killing of at least 43 rice farmers at Zabarmari in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State had sparked fresh call for the sacking of the country’s service chiefs by the president.
A cross-section of Nigerians also advised the president to resign for failing to protect the citizens.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday added its voice by calling on members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to invoke the provisions of Section 144 (1) of the Constitution by declaring President Buhari incapable of ruling the country.
But Fayemi said the president is committed to defeating the insecurity challenge confronting the country.
The governor, who spoke yesterday on a live television programme, also urged the opposition lawmakers to be constructive in their criticisms of the president.
He said, “I meet President Buhari from time to time on behalf of my colleagues and there is nothing to suggest that the president is (an) invalid or incapable of delivering on the responsibilities of his office,” the Ekiti State governor said.
According to him, “Our country has challenges and let’s deal with the challenges. We may have subjective or objective criticisms of the president, that is within the realms of politics and public service and I am sure the president doesn’t mind that. However, when we want to do it, let’s be constructive. It’s the Office of the President that you are denigrating when you do that; it is not his person.”
“If the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives feels they are empowered to start an impeachment process, that is their prerogative but the matter of security is beyond partisan politics,” he added.
Fayemi further advised the PDP members in the various security committees in the National Assembly to contribute their quota on how to defeat the insecurity menace in the country.
The governor urged the service chiefs in the country to recommend their successors to the President Buhari.
He said it is not about the sacking of the service chiefs but it is about “transitioning them out of their current responsibilities into retirement”.
He said, “The service chiefs have served the country well, they’ve given their best and they’ve been committed. I know them personally and I know how well they are committed to ensuring that we get rid of this insurgency but the point I am making is that if you have done something, the same thing for five years, and you have even gone beyond your retirement age, of course, once you are a service chief, you may argue that there is no retirement age but the military has protocols, the military has processes and from time to time, one of the real consideration is renewal of the leadership.
My approach is for Mr. President to ask them in their role as service chiefs who understand the military very well, who know their men very well, to even be the ones to suggest some of the best men that may step into their shoes.
“It’s not about sacking them; it’s about transitioning them out of their current responsibilities into retirement. A part of me even feels that there may be some of them that would rather exit now but they wouldn’t want to be seen as jumping ship if they have not been directed by Mr. President but I am not the president of Nigeria and the president has within his rights to determine how he wants to direct this.
Our own as governors and field commanders in the 36 states is to let him know the feelings of our people about security in the country and that we will do when we have the meeting.”
Fayemi said the 36 state governors would meet with President very soon and convey the feelings of the people on the insecurity in the country to him.
