…say serving Armed Forces personnel must be celebrated
Some Nigerians in the Diaspora, under the aegis of AriseNigeria, have called on the Senate’s leadership to consider a Patriot Bill to celebrate serving Armed Forces personnel in the country.
The group stated this in a communique issued at the end of a general meeting to discuss the state of the nation and sundry issues of concern on Saturday in Brussels, Belgium.
The communique, which was signed by its President, Dr. Agwu Onyeke and 13 country heads, among other things, charged the Senator Ahmed Lawan-led 9th Senate to set out the modalities for honouring deserving heroes that demonstrate exceptional gallantry in service to fatherland.
AriseNigeria said rather than dissipating energy on the Armed Forces Commission Bill, the Upper Chamber should focus on rewarding the military’s invaluable contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria.
The group also commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the war against insurgency and the nation’s handling of the Coronavirus outbreak.
According to the communique, “Arise Nigeria is a civil society organisation comprising Nigerians from all walks of life in the European Union and the United Kingdom dedicated to the ideals of a united and prosperous Nigeria.
“Its members comprise professionals and technocrats that have distinguished themselves in various sectors of their chosen endeavours, and this much has seen to the valuable contributions of Arise Nigeria in the developmental agenda of Nigeria.
“AriseNigeria convened an emergency general meeting to assess the state of the nation in Nigeria in light of the pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus all over the world to understand the efforts of the Nigerian government and, by extension, make inputs to the relevant authorities in Nigeria.”
It further stated, “The Issues: AriseNigeria, at its emergency general meeting in the United Kingdom, deliberated on several issues in Nigeria and chiefly amongst them is the pandemic outbreak of the Corona Virus all over the world.
“It also looked at other issues in Nigeria, such as the budget, the National Assembly, the Nigerian Military in the fight against terrorism, and sundry matters of national interest.
“The Deliberations: At the plenary, members deliberated on the efforts of the Federal Government in containing the spread of the Coronavirus in the country.
“Members also looked extensively at the 2020 budget with regards to assessing its viability in light of the global meltdown occasioned by the Corona Virus outbreak. The fight against terrorism was also deliberated on, and members made robust contributions.
“The activities of the National Assembly were also examined in line with the quality of bills passed and the impact of such on the overall development of Nigeria.
“The Resolutions: At the end of the emergency general meeting of Arise Nigeria, the following resolutions were made:
“That the Nigerian citizens must realise that the Corona Virus pandemic is global, and as such, all hands must be on deck to contain its spread in the country.
“That the Federal Government and the citizens of Nigeria have indeed demonstrated rare patriotism in this all critical period, and this is indeed commendable.
“That President Muhammadu Buhari has indeed demonstrated capacity in many areas, especially on insecurity, where the Nigerian Military has continued to sustain massive onslaught on the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.
“That the fight against terrorism requires all the inputs and support of all critical stakeholders in Nigeria.
“That the Nigerian citizenry must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that it extends its support to the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Military as it pushes for the final onslaught against the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group in Nigeria.
“That Nigeria must implore global best practices by honouring members of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who have continued to make sacrifices for the country.
“That the Federal Government should embrace the idea of national honours for members of the Armed Forces for their invaluable contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria.
“That the early submission and timely consideration of budget proposals by the National Assembly shows that there is a synergy between the executive and legislative arms of government.
“That the leadership of the National Assembly must rise to the occasion by ensuring that the National Assembly is not used by those against the interest of Nigeria to destabilise the country.
“That the call for the sack of Service Chiefs by some members of the National Assembly is undemocratic and capable of overheating the polity
“That that the Senate must consciously adjust itself by aligning with the general thinking of Nigerians on law-making and legislation.
“That the Senate must as a matter of national interest discontinue further proceedings on the obnoxious Armed Forces Service Commission Bill and instead pass a Nigerian Patriot Bill that will set out the modalities for honouring well-deserving heroes that demonstrate exceptional gallantry in service to fatherland.
“Conclusion/Recommendations: Arise Nigeria, at the end of its emergency general meeting that witnessed a large turnout of its members from across the globe and after extensive deliberation on issues of national concern, lauds the Executive arm of government in Nigeria for allowing the judiciary the necessary independence to function.
“The recent court rulings from the apex court and other courts attest to the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s commitment to the rule of law against political considerations.
“The government must continue to allow opposing views, especially by the opposition parties and individuals who see nothing good in the administration, provided such expressions do not in any way constitute a security threat to the country.
“The Muhammadu Buhari-led administration must continue to justify the mandate given to it by the people during the last general elections by ensuring that its actions and inactions are in good faith for the continued growth and development of Nigeria.
