Press Release: MURIC CONDEMNS BENEFITS FOR PAST MILITARY RULERS 19th June, 2006

We are greatly perturbed by the speed with which the Senate passed the bill on benefits for former military rulers. We are of the opinion that neither the general public nor civil society was given enough time to contribute to the debate. The issue of allocation of the nation’s resources is a very sensitive and vital one and Senate should have exercised some patience before passing the bill.

Apart from its negative impact on future involvement of the military in politics, rushing the bill has dire consequences for our economy. Is Senate saying that those who used our guns and uniforms to arrogate to themselves all the honey and milk in the land should still be pampered? Who among our past military leaders is poor today?

Of what relevance are past military rulers to Nigeria? Except for Muritala Muhammad, Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon, all other past military rulers deserve no benefits. Almost all the rest have enriched themselves at the expense of the jamaheer (masses). Today they live like totalitarian kings and comprador bourgeoisie. Our Senate is, indubitably, imbued with capitalist proclivities: making the rich richer and the poor, poorer.

Why can’t Senate remember civilian rulers who refused to corruptly enrich themselves and whose families now live in abject poverty? Professor Ambrose Ali, former Governor of defunct Bendel State is an example. His house is overtaken by weeds. The structures are on the verge of collapse. His children live in abject poverty.

Senate’s bill supporting benefits for past military rulers is therefore in bad taste. It has sent a dangerous signal to over-ambitious soldiers. Senate should not have awarded the benefit across the board. If there is the need to reward past military leaders, it should have been an exercise in reward for good governance in which case such benefits should have been approved only for past military rulers who did not enrich themselves. Rewarding military oppressors is an overkill for the psyche of the average Nigerian who already believes in the existence of a vicious caucus of rich and influential Nigerians with the philosophy of “rob my back, I will rob your back too”.

MURIC calls for a review of Senate’s decision. Only a review which shuts out rich and powerful past military rulers from benefiting from this policy can please the jamaheer and restore confidence in the polity. Nigeria is already identified as a society where socio-economic justice, the rule of law and egalitarianism are misnomers. Senate can still redeem Nigeria’s image by acting wisely and timely too. We also urge Senate to consider past civilian rulers who served in the states. We should not concentrate on the center alone.

Serving military personnel in the country also deserve commendation for remaining focused in their honourable profession and for refusing to allow material pursuit to make them venture into politics. If we condemn avaricious soldiers for toppling civilian governments, we must not hesitate to motivate soldiers who stand by the ethics of the profession. MURIC urges the Federal Government to quickly evolve means of rewarding ethically upright and patriotic members of the armed forces.

Dr. Is-haq Akintola                                                   Mallam Yaqub Ahmad
DIRECTOR                                                       SECRETARY GENERAL