A major disagreement has erupted between the special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity,Dr. Reuben Abati and the Senior special assistant to the president on Public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, as the former, yesterday, publicly disowned the later, over the reason for the establishment of the 176 Special Forces Battalion of the Brigade of Guards.

While the senior special assistant to the president on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe said the establishment of the battalion was because of the threat posed by the fundamental Islamic sect, Boko Haram, the special Adviser to the president on media said the establishment of the Battalion of the Brigade of Guards was not established to protect President Goodluck Jonathan alone.

It would be recalled that Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, told journalists that the battalion was established to protect the president from the Boko Haram sect.

But speaking with Journalists yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said that the new battalion, though part of the Brigade of Guards saddled with the responsibility of presidential protection, was not meant for Jonathan alone.

According to him, the approval for the creation of the battalion preceded Jonathan’s Presidency adding that it was to meet the provision of the Nigerian Army Order of Battle which recommends that Brigades must have three battalions.

“The approval by the Nigerian Army Council to establish that battalion was given on May 4, 2010. I am sure President Jonathan was not the President then.

“What President Jonathan did was only to give the go ahead much later in 2012.

“At the inauguration of the battalion’s barracks in Kuje today (Wednesday), it was made clear that the battalion will be in charge of security in Kuje, Gwagwalada up to Niger State.

“Even the barracks’ location in Kuje very far away from the Presidential Villa is enough proof that it was not meant to protect the President alone.
“It is also apt to say that the Nigerian Army Order of Battle recommends that a Brigade should have three battalions.

“Since the Brigade of Guards was relocated to Abuja over two decades, it has been having only two battalions.

“So, the establishment of the new battalion was in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Army Order of Battle.”

Jonathan had on Monday during the presidential change of guards as part of activities to mark the Independence Day celebration, had formally inaugurated the new battalion at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa by presenting the regimental colours.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/boko-haram-abati-okupe-differ-on-establishment-of-new-battalion/

Have these people no shame? Why are they so confused on simple issues?

Over 70% of our budget is spent on recurrent expenditure. About 80% of the recurrent expenditure goes to pay the salaries of government personnel. Is this what we get for all this spending?

I had cause to post the following yesterday:

Pukkah: Nigeria is in trouble!
Or, rather, as they say it in local parlance, 'Nigeria don enter one chance'.

Imagine this array of President's aides:

There is a Minister of Information (Labaran Maku) with his retinue of aides, assistants and special assistants.
There is a Special Adviser on Media and Publicity (Reuben Abati) ostensibly with his retinue of aides.
There is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs (Doyin Okupe).
There is a Media Director to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs - Olusanya Awosan.
There is a Assistant to the President on New Media (Reno Omokri). Or what is his designation called?

Let's even ignore the retinue in the Vice President's office for now.

Even if Nigerians are not complaining about the exorbitant costs of maintaining the pot bellies of this array of assistants and aides, we should at least not be fed with lies, misinformation and untruth! It just doesn't make sense. Even if we keep mute that the recurrent expenditure of our budget is over 70%, they should give us value for money.

I refuse to believe that this pack of aides were just too lazy to proofread. It must be that they have been compromised by the opposition elements within the polity. They are saboteurs within the Presidency. They were planted there by enemies to cause embarrassment and heart-ache to our dear President Goodluck Jonathan (PhD) and cause disharmony among the good Nigerian people.

In view of this, all of them must be sacked immediately!

So, back to our local parlance, 'you no think say Nigeria don enter one chance?'



***Note: Some parts of this post were written 'tongue in cheek'

Who will save this government from itself?

Pukkah: Have these people no shame? Why are they so confused on simple issues?

Over 70% of our budget is spent on recurrent expenditure. About 80% of the recurrent expenditure goes to pay the salaries of government personnel. Is this what we get for all this spending?

I had cause to post the following yesterday:



Who will save this government from itself?

Whether you like the President GEJ or not, his protection is perhaps the only guarantee of peace in this country and the life insurance of any northerner living anywhere in southern nigeria.Major blood baths were preceded by assassination of Heads of States.From World war 1, Rwandan genocide to the Nigerian civil war largely also provoked by killing of President Juvénal Habyarimana or Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi in Nigeria's case.
Anything spent to secure a President is a good investment in the peaceful coexistence of a nation.

cjrane:

Whether you like the President GEJ or not, his protection is perhaps the only guarantee of peace in this country and the life insurance of any northerner living anywhere in southern nigeria.Major blood baths were preceded by assassination of Heads of States.From World war 1, Rwandan genocide to the Nigerian civil war largely also provoked by killing of President Juvénal Habyarimana or Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi in Nigeria's case.
Anything spent to secure a President is a good investment in the peaceful coexistence of a nation.

The underlying subject here is not whether one likes the President or not. It is also not about the appropriateness of the protection or spending.

The issue is about two aides of government who couldn't agree on a simple matter.