The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, says for effective protection of democracy in the country, as well as lives and property, Nigeria needs to rebuild its military institutions.
He said the problem of insecurity across Nigeria could be traced to institutional deficiencies and indiscipline among those who were saddled with the responsibilities of steering the wheel of state.
Adebayo was speaking on Monday at a public presentation of a book entitled ‘Nine Lives: The Bello-Fadile Memoirs’, authored by Babatunde Bello-Fadile, a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army, in Abuja.
The event chaired by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar Retired, had General Martin Luther Agwai Rtd., General Alkali Kashim Rtd, former Senate President, David Mark, former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, Chief Kanu Agabi SAN, OCJ Okocha SAN, Ahmed Raji SAN, former INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, among other dignitaries in attendance.
The former presidential candidate said aside rebuilding the military institutions, Nigeria needed to rebuild its civil service, justice system and its intelligence agencies.
“We must encourage the rebuilding of four institutions immediately. We need to rebuild our military. We need to rebuild our civil service. We need to rebuild our justice system and we need to rebuild our intelligence.
“In an era where modern challenges are timeless in the face, we need to build these institutions, and to build them, you need to find your way to extract who will say, I dedicate my entire life to one of these four institutions like Retired Colonel Fadile,” he stated.
Adebayo maintained that most of the historical achievements the country recorded can directly or indirectly be traced to the military, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“Some of the best brains in the country were officers, well-trained as both military personnel and other professional life like Retired Colonel Bello Fadile who is wearing two caps.
“Today in Nigeria there are hard questions of National identity and National unity.
“The military is the one keeping these two. So it is important we know that we cannot do without the military as a country,” he added.
Nigeria must rebuild military, core institutions – Ex-Presidential candidate, Adebayo
