—Jonathan begs Gusau
There were conflicting signals over the reported resignation from office of the newly appointed Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd.), barely a week after he assumed duties.
News of the said resignation hit the nation yesterday when an online medium, Sahara Reporters, posted on its website that the ‘spy master’ had opted out of the Jonathan Administration.
The claim appeared to be corroborated by the minister’s absence from yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
To back up its report, Sahara Reporters had said that it had spoken with the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who confirmed that there was a disagreement between Gusau and the military brass, although he tried to downplay the issue by describing it as “slight.”
But the president’s spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, quickly came up with a denial, saying the minister never at any time resigned.
Abati explained: “The report by an online medium earlier today that the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen Aliyu Gusau (rtd.), has resigned is untrue. General Gusau remains in office as Minister of Defence.
“His absence from today’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council which was cited in support of the false report of his resignation was with the permission of President Goodluck Jonathan.”
A similar position was also taken by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) which, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Shehu Maikai, said the minister did not resign.
Beyond the denials, however, Blueprint reliably gathered that the retired general actually tendered his resignation on Tuesday but had a change of mind after being prevailed upon by President Jonathan who sent some emissaries, including top retired generals and some elder statesmen.
Contrary to Abati’s claim, our source said Gusau’s resignation and his outright refusal to attend the council meeting at the Presidential Villa, shocked the president and his team.
His resignation followed alleged insubordination from service chiefs who, Blueprint learnt, failed to honour an invitation to a meeting he called.
A reliable source told our correspondent: “I can authoritatively tell you that the Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau, did tender his letter of resignation to President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday, 11th March, 2014. That was why he didn’t attend yesterday’s council meeting, which was supposed to be his first as minister.
“It shocked the Presidency. And President Jonathan has been sending emissaries to prevail on Gusau.”
Our source said Gusau tendered his resignation because of a disagreement he had with the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. According to the source, two days after the retired general called for the meeting, the service chiefs reportedly advanced various excuses for not turning up, a development which angered him.
Sahara Reporters said it gathered that after the long wait, only Badeh showed up for the meeting.
It further reported that when Obanikoro attempted to intervene, he was rudely brushed aside by the CDS, who allegedly asked him to “shut up.”
“Air Chief Marshal Badeh is said to have called Senator Obanikoro a ‘small boy’ and warned him that the military was not going to be taking orders anymore from bloody civilians like him,” one source stated.
But the MOD’s Maikai said: “Our attention has been drawn to a media posting on social network to the effect that the Honourable Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau, has resigned and wish to state, categorically, that the minister has not resigned his appointment.
“We thank all those that have called to verify the rumour and reassure you all that Lieutenant General Aliyu Gusau remains the Minister of Defence.”
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a defence and security expert told our reporter that the ground for the confrontation between the new ministers of defence and service chiefs was set long ago by Jonathan, who has not asserted civilian control on the military.
He said: “President Jonathan is responsible for whatever happened or is alleged to have happened between the ministers of defence and service chiefs. As the Commander-in-Chief, he has not used his office to control the military.
“There is nowhere in the world where the Commander-in-Chief continuously deals directly with service chiefs. There is always civilian control on the military, which is properly coordinated through the Ministry of Defence, with the minister of defence serving as an interface between the service chiefs and the Commander-in-Chief.”
Beside this, the president had, at one of his media chats, declared that he could do without the minister of defence, adding that he was comfortable dealing directly with the service chiefs, which was what Gusau attempted to change.
