Ohanaeze Youth Council(OYC), the apex Igbo socio-cultural youth body, has described the newly introduced Armed Forces Bill in the National Assembly as an invitation of coup d’etat against civilian Presidents.
The Igbo group cautioned members of the National Assembly on the implications of the proposed Armed Forces Bill by the Senate if passed into law.
Ohanaeze Youth opined that the bill, if allowed to stand, would truncat Nigeria democracy as the contents of the proposed legislation seeks to wrest the sacred Powers and authority conferred on the President and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces by 1999 Constitution Section 217 and 218 for the Composition, Appointment and termination of service Chiefs of Armed Forces of Nigeria by vesting it in a Commission which can be Manipulative in on a rogue collaboration with enemies of Democracy to Overthrow a Civilian President.
The Armed Forces Bill sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, seeks to address presumed lopsided appointment of heads of Security Agencies in the Country,
However, a statement on Sunday by the President General(OYC), Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Secretary-General, Okwu Nnabuike, queried why such sensitive bill empowers a commission to recommend to the President whoever they feel is qualified for appointment as Service Chief and Head of Security agencies in Nigeria without Mr President’s input if it’s not for sinister motives and nefarious activities of the sponsors.
The group further added in the release, “OYC condemns vehemently such Armed Forces Bill, as it is an abuse of legislative powers, traduces military Tradition. Political Musketeers will arm-twist unlawfully a sitting Civilian President if Senate passes it into law. Such powers to make appointment of Service Chiefs will be bestowed on non-elective persons, who might use it for anti-democratic motives to hold the Presidency at ransom against the collective interests of Nigerians.
“OYC wants the National Assembly to know that the Igbos are not in support of any action that might jeopardize the Presidential System of Government which Igbos stand to benefit in 2023. We disassociate ourselves from the proposed Armed Forces Bill and urge the National Assembly that such reckless bill would not be supported by the Igbos as it is dead on arrival”.
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