The National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum( PANDEF) H.E.Amb Godknows Igali, OON, has expressed serious reservations over the rising social media glamourisation of what he called ” grossly improper conduct of a junior naval officer” allegedly acting on the orders of a retired Service Chief, who on Tuesday restrained the Hon Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,Chief Nyesom Wike from gaining access to a disputed landed property located at Gaduwa distrct of Abuja.
Speaking to journalists on his way out of the Port Harcourt International Airport on Thursday, the well respected Diplomat berated the young naval officer identified as Lt. AM Yerima for not according the minister the respect he deserves as the Abuja landlord.
His words: ” As the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike deserves his due respect as a member of the Federal Executive Council and a direct representative of the President, over all matters relating to the Federal Capital Territory directly under his purview.
“Chief Wike, CON, without doubt, is one of the best performing ministers in this administration. He deserves to be treated with much more respect and decorum than he got, ” the former Federal Permanent Secretary and Diplomat, lamented.
Ambassador Igali emphasised that the unacceptable behaviour of the junior naval officer was not just an affront on the FCT Minister as a person but an open show of disdain for the office of the President, whose powers , vested on the FCT Minister , was publicly ridiculed.
The South-South geopolitical zone leader held the view that the Minister of the FCT deserves an unconditional apology from the leadership of the Nigerian Navy on behalf of its former Head and the harpless young officer involved in the horrible spectacle for acting outside the core mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the country.
“The act of using an innocent junior military personnel to perform illegal duties like watching over unoccupied personal lands or the like must not be tolerated,” he said
Ambassador Igali further called on Mr. President to direct the respective security and law enforcement authorities to fully investigate the incident and bring those involved to book. This, he said, will preserve the professionalism in the military and guarantee respect for constituted civil authority, which he said is the most basic foundation for building a stable, virile democracy where the law rules at all times.
He further insisted that the FCT Minister must be fully protected from such overzealousness as he continues to carry out his assigned duties with passion and dedication