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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A group under the auspices of Northwest Progressives Forum (NPF) has thrown its weight behind the choice of former Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, saying he is a round peg in a round hole.
The noted that President Bola Tinubu has made an informed choice of picking the former governor as the minister of defence.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Wednesday, the group’s Director of Strategic Communications, Adamu Isa said notwithstanding the mixed reactions that followed Badaru’s choice as Defence Minister, President Tinubu deserves commendation, given the new Minister’s noble antecedents.
“As the then Governor of Jigawa State, he received Security Report every morning as the first item on his official menu. This was moreso because the Chief Security Officer of Jigawa State. He cannot therefore be said to be a novice in modern governance and related issues of safety and security of citizens. Jigawa State today, is one of the most peaceful States in Nigeria”, the
group argued.
Reacting to the narrative that the new Minister may find the job difficult without being trained as a soldier, the group declared: ” Those who are suddenly peddling the narrative that the Minister has no military training are merely out to distract attention because a Nigerian Minister’s role is coordination of the activities of core professionals under his supervision.
“We recall that another former governor from the Northwest, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso held the same portfolio of Defence Minister and performed effectively and efficiently. This was moreso because being a Minister is no rocket science”
The group expressed excitement over what it describes as news reports that “the new Minister of Defence has immediately swung into action as he is already assembling a team of experts to assist him in the discharge of this important assignment.”
Isa explained that the effort by Badaru to assemble a team of experts was a proof that the man knows his focus and ” the correct team composition for effective and efficient delivery of his duties.
“Badaru is not new to the critical details of National Defence Policy, the guiding norm of the entire Defence Ministry”.
The group commended President Bola Tinubu for “considering a competent, patriotic person with proven track record of delivering on his assignments for decades.”
“Having done our independent checks and consultation with experts in modern military art and warfare, we are convinced that the appointment of Mohammed Badaru as Minister of Defence is a game-changer, in the spirit of Renewed Hope.”
The group also pledged to continue praying for the new Minister to succeed in the new national assignment.
