There was a mild drama at the Senate, on Tuesday, as two lawmakers walked out on the Committee on Army over alleged lopsided recruitment in the Nigerian Army.

The panel had invited the Commandant of Nigerian Army on Training and Doctrine, Major General S.O Olabanji, for an interactive meeting.

But senators Ibrahim Danbaba (PDP, Sokoto) and Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers) staged walkout when they were prevented from grilling the senior Army officer over allegation of lopsided recruitment carried out by the Army recently.

The acting chairman of the committee, Senator Abba Moro (PDP Benue), who presided over the meeting, ruled Danbaba out of order, saying “this meeting is not for such enquiry”.

Another committee member, Senator Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers) raised the issue again, saying “lopsidedeness in recruitment is not an issue to be put aside or ruled against”.

But Senator Moro again ruled against the enquiry, insisting that the session was not for review of recruitment made by the Army but on tactical training and doctrine of men and officers.

“The questions being raised by my colleagues on alleged lopsided recruitments are being thrown to the wrong person. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya is the one who can do justice to such allegation or enquiry,” he said.

Irked by the insistence of Abba Moro that questions on recruitment should not be entertained at the session, Danbaba and Mpigi walked out of the meeting in anger.

Speaking to newsmen after, Senator Danbaba said he walked out of the meeting with Senator Mpigi because of dictatorial action of Senator Moro.

“He shouldn’t have ruled us out of order since the military man the question was directed to did not complain.

“The issue of marginalization in recruitment has never been responded to, it is part of the oversight process of the committee to ensure that whatever is to be done should be done to ensure Justice.

“The Nigerian army like any institution of government in Nigeria is supposed to comply with provisions of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and that constitution has made it very clear that the issue of federal character and representation is paramount is a constitutional issue.

“I’m not blaming the army, the army has been performing very well, but at the same time the issue of recruitment is very important.

“I left the meeting, I stormed out with Mpigi because we were angry,” he said.

Reacting, Moro said he had no any regret for ruling Danbaba out of order as far as the issue of alleged lopsided recruitment was concerned .

“Danbaba and Mpigi’s questions were directed to a wrong person. What explanation were they expecting from Commander, Training and Doctrine Command on recruitment.

“Besides, the committee had tabled the issue before the Chief of Army Staff few months ago with response bordering on physical and medical reasons for those recruited and those who failed in the exercise.”

yuping:
Ordinary SSCE recruitment the senate still want to kill themselves on it, when will the poor man even be given a chance to prove is worth.

FILEBE:
Whoever will fix this country will be the greatest man of all time

slivertongue:
Selfish Senators

nedekid:

Dont you get that they tried asking questions about lopsided recuitment? That seemingly some parts of the country were employed at the detriment of others?
Do you understand the implication of this? Such organisation work in batches, that is why in eg NDA, you hear of course 25, 26,27 etc. If one part of the country is favored, it means in the next few years that section will dominate the organisation. Few years ago there was complaints that people from Katsina had 70% recuitment into one of the security services while the rest country shared 30%.

Igbodicool:
Injustice, inequality, unfairness will surely destroy Nigeria.

Igbo is most hated tribe in Nigeria today because they stood against these social ills.

Finally, finally, enough of these to go round.

nedekid:

Dont you get that they tried asking questions about lopsided recuitment? That seemingly some parts of the country were employed at the detriment of others?
Do you understand the implication of this? Such organisation work in batches, that is why in eg NDA, you hear of course 25, 26,27 etc. If one part of the country is favored, it means in the next few years that section will dominate the organisation. Few years ago there was complaints that people from Katsina had 70% recuitment into one of the security services while the rest country shared 30%.