The Buhari Media Organization (BMO) has called former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alexander Ogomudia (rtd) a hypocrite over his comments on the restructuring of Nigeria as the way to go.
The group said it was disappointed over comments by Ogomudia that Nigeria was not moving in the right direction, and that the country was going to experience violent restructuring.
The group in a statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, it’s Chairman and Secretary respectively, noted that such a statement coming from a former Chief of Defence Staff was highly unfortunate, but that it only reflected his skewed mindset that did not see anything good with peace and unity and the progress the country was making.
“Rtd. General Ogomudia served as Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff in an era when anarchy was the accepted norm. He accepted to serve as former President Obasanjo’s mockery of a democratic government, even almost immediately the Obasanjo government had just sent troops to Odi, Bayelsa State to execute one of the most heinous State-orchestrated massacre this nation had ever witnessed.
“But General Alex Ogomudia thought that he would in fact beat his predecessor’s record, and under his watch as Chief of Army Staff, Nigeria saw the even more unfortunate massacre of its citizens in Zaki Biam.
“We are constrained to ask the retired General if this is the direction that he seeks Nigeria to return to?
“Assuredly, Nigeria has made a departure from the morally corrupt era that General Ogumudia served in and which he now wants enthroned as the accepted standard of governance.”
The group stated that the retired General had a retarded appreciation of what good governance was, and that this was due to the fact that he had served in an administration that knew little about responsible and good governance.
“Within the period of the retired General’s service in the highest offices of the Nigerian Military, the country witnessed some of the most atrocious assassinations in its political history, including the assassination of Chief Bola Ige and Marshal Sokari Harry.
“This General today wants that style of governance brought back. He has not acquainted himself with the democratic standards Nigeria is now in. Under President Buhari no such holocaust can happen. The rule of law and respect for human life is sacrosanct.”
BMO also accused retired General Ogomudia of failing to do his basic research before addressing his audience.
“The retired General had falsely claimed that nothing happened after the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh was killed. This is absolutely false. The Buhari administration swiftly set up a panel to investigate the unfortunate murder, and suspects were arrested within weeks. They are currently in custody and more investigations are underway.
“Perhaps the former Chief of Defence Staff is not acquainted with modern tools of technology, otherwise a simple Google search would have saved a man of his background the embarrassment of spewing falsehood in a public place.
“If he had also done his research well, he would have observed the various moves that the Buhari administration has made towards greater federalism. It has ensured that Local Governments indeed get the resources due to them, by setting up regulations that ensure that the money paid to local governments end up in their accounts and not elsewhere.
“The administration also set up a committee to look towards the greater independence of States’ Judiciaries and Legislatures. This is true federalism – or restructuring, whichever term General Ogomudia wants to use.
“In the administration of former President Obasanjo, none of those who today go around conducting talk-shops on restructuring ever raised this matter. They are nothing but hypocrites, including General Ogomudia rtd.”
The group stated that Nigeria was done with the dark and ugly past where General Ogomudia is coming from and which has shaped his mindset, and would never have such a regression to a time when state-orchestrated crime, inhumane policies and bad governance was the norm.