Secret Reporters No place to hide
…We never wanted him at all – Defence Sources
Fejiro Oliver
As President Goodluck Jonathan sacks ministers; his new Minister of Defence, Aliyu Gusau has sacked himself by tendering in his resignation letter.
According to a source in the defence headquarter, a Lieutenant Colonel, Gusau was miffed that Soldiers whom he trained in his hey days as a military could openly refused his order to have meetings with them, where we gathered that he had planned to ask for some documents, especially as it concerns the Boko Haram crisis.
We gathered that he scheduled to meet with them on Saturday, but for some reasons not explained to him, the Military top brass declined to honor the meeting and rather had it shifted to yesterday Tuesday, which never held. He made several calls to the Military Directorate, none of which was picked, said our sources. This was the straw that broke the back, as he fumed at the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, who alone showed up the meeting.
While they argued on why other service Chiefs were absent, Badeh we gathered told the Minister not to worry as he would convey whatever agreement he reached with him; which angered him. The State Minister of Defence, Musilu Obanikoro tried to intervene but he was looked in a way that sent fears into Obanikoro spine. “When we talk as men, don’t talk”, Badeh reportedly shouted at him, according to our source. Gusau told Badeh that that was going to be the last time they will be having meeting with him.
He immediately summoned the Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary and gave his letter of resignation to transmit to Mr President. Jonathan we gathered got the letter yesterday and placed a call to him, begging him to re-consider his stand.
The President has begun moves to meet former top Military men from the North who have the ears of the Minister to make him change his mind. A source who is close to the Minister confided in us that Gusau is a man of his words and will not change his mind. According to the source, the only thing that can change his mind is for the President to call all the Service Chiefs and tell them to take orders from him, being a former top army officer.
When we contacted our sources in the defence quarters to know why the Service Chiefs behaved that way, they noted that they never wanted Gusau as the defence minister. “He is too bossy and autocratic. He will usurp the positions of other top military men and the earlier he is shown disaffection, the better for them”, he revealed.
