President Goodluck Jonathan moved fast yesterday to prevent what could have been a major blow to his cabinet.
He prevailed on Minister of Defence Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Gusau not to resign, barely one week after assuming office.
The President met with Gen. Gusau at the Villa where he agreed to shelve his resignation plan over what was described as “issues” with the Service Chiefs.
Senate President David Mark and some eminent Nigerians also intervened in the matter, it was learnt.
Gen. Gusau is said to be unhappy with the alleged insubordination of the Service Chiefs and the fact that he is unaware of military campaign plans against Boko Haram in the Northeast.
According to a source, who pleaded not to be named because it is a security matter, when the President got wind of Gen. Gusau’s plan to resign, he stepped into the matter.
The source said: “Apart from preliminary rapprochement on Tuesday night, the President had audience with Gen. Gusau at the Presidential Villa early yesterday to prevail on him not to quit the cabinet. He also promised to address some of the issues between him and the service chiefs.
“Based on the assurance from the President, Gusau shelved his plan to resign from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“As I am talking to you, the President of the Senate and some eminent Nigerians have also prevailed on Gen. Gusau to remain in the cabinet.”
Asked why Gen. Gusau was not at the FEC meeting yesterday, the source said: “The Minister was actually indisposed; he took ill. He only managed to meet with the President earlier in the day and took permission not to be at the meeting.”
Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati also denied that Gen. Gusau had resigned.
Abati told reporters yesterday: “About two hours or so ago, there was a report by an online medium, alleging that the Minister of Defence Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Gusau resigned his appointment.
“This is to let you know that that story is untrue. Gen. Gusau remains in office as Minister of Defence. He was absent from today’s FEC meeting and this particular online medium cited this in support of its allegation that he had resigned.
“Well, he was absent from today’s meeting with the permission of President Jonathan. So, the story is not true; he remains in office and he himself has already dismissed the story as untrue.
“But I think this further clarification is necessary before we are confronted with a situation where all kinds of wild speculations begin to come up and the story begins to develop and grow various branches,” he said.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media to Gen. Gusau, Mr. Adebisi Adekunle, also said the minister had not resigned.
It was immediately clear last night how the President plans to manage the crisis of confidence between Gen. Gusau and the service chiefs.
The service chiefs were said to be opposed to Gen. Gusau being the Coordinating Minister of Defence, with supervisory role on the Armed Forces, including strategic military commandants.
It was learnt that Gen. Gusau had invited the service chiefs to a meeting, but only the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, turned up.
Marshal Badeh was accused of being “rude” to Gen. Gusau and Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.
Gen. Gusau was said to have contemplated leaving after meeting with the CDS, if he cannot operate freely with service chiefs.
It was gathered that Gen. Gusau felt frustrated because it seemed his terms for accepting the job were not being followed.
The terms are:
•Serving as coordinating Minister of Defence;
•free hands to operate;
•a waiver to do whatever he can to salvage the security challenges facing the nation and;
•the opportunity to resign anytime from the cabinet if he is displeased with the situation or if he feels that he has fulfilled his mission in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
A source said: “Gen. Gusau and Obanikoro invited the CDS, the service chiefs and strategic commandants for a meeting but only the CDS came. He said the service chiefs were coordinating operation in the Northeast.
“The CDS also promised to convene the decisions of the meeting to the service chiefs. Gusau saw the absence of the service chiefs as disrespectful.
“I think the challenge at hand borders on the fact that the service chiefs do not want to subjugate themselves to civilian control because it is against the National Security Agencies Act.
“They also claim that since the ongoing operation in the Northeast is tactical, they cannot sit down with the minister of defence to discuss their strategies and intelligence issues.
“I think this position was misinterpreted to mean that the CDS called Obanikoro a bloody civilian.”
But another source added: “There was no way the CDS could be rude to Gen. Gusau because in and out of the military, an officer must be respected. Gen. Gusau is a product of NDA Regular Course 1 and the CDS a graduate of Regular Course 22.
“Marshal Badeh also said he did not call Obanikoro a ‘bloody civilian at all.’ Maybe Obanikoro misread the CDS’ mood at the session.”
The military chiefs and security agencies were still opposed last night to plans to make them report to Gen. Gusau without an amendment to the National Security Agencies Act.
The National Security Agencies Act, obtained yesterday by our correspondent, reads in part: “For the purpose of co-ordinating the intelligence activities of the National Security Agencies set up under section I of this Act, there shall be appointed by the President a Co-coordinator on National Security.
“The Co-coordinator on National Security shall be a principal staff officer in the office of the President.
“The Co-coordinator on National Security shall be charged with the duty of-
(a) advising the President on matters concerning the intelligence activities of the agencies;
(b) making recommendations in relation to the activities of the agencies to the President, as contingencies may warrant;
(c) correlating and evaluating intelligence reports relating to the national security and providing the appropriate dissemination of such intelligence within Government, using existing facilities as the President may direct;
(d) determining the number and level of staff to be employed by each agency established pursuant to Section I of this Act and organising the transfer and posting of staff, especially the transfer and posting of existing staff of the Nigerian Security Organisation established pursuant to the Nigerian Security Organisation Act 1976, repealed by Section 7 (1) of this Act;
(e) doing such other things in connection with the foregoing provisions of this section as the President may, from time to time, determine.”
Reviewing the issue last night, a source close to the Military High Command said: The Armed Forces Act 1993 as amended in the 1999 Constitution states: “The CDS shall, subject to the general direction of the President and of the National Assembly, be vested with the day to day command and general superintendence of the Armed Forces”.
The Minister of Defence is the political head of the ministry, which is composed of the military and civil components.
He has two principal advisers – a permanent secretary who is a career civil servant and the CDS.
“The minister provides policy direction for the armed forces and participate in government’s policy making process.
-The nation
