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…says Military Can’t Override Constitution — Kachikwu
From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has waded into the heated face-off between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Naval Officer Umar Yerima, insisting that the military must never be allowed to undermine civil authority in Nigeria.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja, Kachikwu warned that the growing public hostility towards government officials is blinding Nigerians to the real issues, describing the online outrage against Wike as the handiwork of a “vocal minority” driven by hate.
Kachikwu, narrated his own recent encounter with the FCTA and Minister Wike, said the minister acted professionally in his case and even apologized after discovering that his staff misinformed him.
According to him, the current uproar is selective and hypocritical.”Where was this loud indignation when soldiers shot policemen in Anambra? Where was it when the military repeatedly assaulted police officers? But the moment it is Wike, suddenly everyone finds their voice,” he said.
Kachikwu argued that Nigerians were ignoring the most dangerous aspect of the Wike ,Yerima confrontation — a serving Minister of the Federal Republic was obstructed based on the instructions of a retired general with no constitutional authority.
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He warned that such behaviour, if tolerated, could embolden the military to challenge civilian leadership in the future.
“Can a retired general give an order superior to that of a serving Minister? Does the military code override the Constitution? Absolutely not,” he declared.
Blasting what he described as Nigeria’s growing “hatred for government,” the former ADC flag-bearer said the country is gradually sliding into a dangerous system where military personnel feel empowered to challenge constituted authority without consequences.
He likened the situation to George Orwell’s Animal Farm, saying Nigerians are empowering certain groups to behave as if they are “more equal” than others.
Kachikwu insisted that if the trend continues, ordinary Nigerians would ultimately pay the price.
“One day, this same military you are cheering may trample on your rights. We are building an Animal Farm, and nobody seems to care,” he added.
