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Army Honours 23 Retired Finance Corps Generals with Colourful Pull Out Ceremony
The Nigerian Army Finance Corps has honoured 23 of its most deserving retired Generals with a pulling-out ceremony at the Bonny Cantonment Parade Ground as part of activities to mark a successful tour of duty.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chief of Budget and Account, Army, Major General Adetokunbo Fayemiwo, said the retired Generals, who were pulled out were among the most deserving retired senior officers of the Finance Corps, who laid the foundation of the present successes of the Corps. He noted that even in retirement the retired generals have continued to offer their wealth of knowledge and expertise in support of the corps and mentoring the upcoming officers towards a successful career.
In his valecdictory speech, the Special Guest of Honour, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd), who is also a valedictorian, stated that the pulling out ceremony signifies the end of his military career after 35 years in active service. He said he was grateful to the Almighty God for his grace, mercies, guidance, wisdom and protection through out his service years.
“I count myself fortunate to witness this event in such a lively and energetic environment,” he added.
The General disclosed that he and his retired colleagues were exiting the Service at a time when the nation was inundated by diverse security challenges. He noted that these challenges have necessitated several operational adjustments by the NA to effectively tackle and overcome the menace.
Accordingly, he charged all Finance Corps personnel to be more innovative, proactive and result oriented in the discharge of their primary responsibility to the NA in a joint environment.
The past Corps Commanders and retired generals honoured include Major Generals JO Lartey, BVT Kwaji, DA Bako, CE Airhiavbere, CU Agulanna and MK Yunusa.
Others are Brigadier Generals SU Umusu, MA Nyiam, JA Adejoh, BB Adewinmbi, FA Mohammed, CU Akagu, JO Ozigi, MK Joktara, OP Sintali, YB Yakubu, JS Sura, AA Adekoya, IZ Ohiaka, JA Faransi and YK Musa.
Special guests who graced the occasion included the President of Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), Mrs. Salamatu Yahaya, General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Major General Obinna Ajunwa, Former Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade (retd), Former Director, Army Public Relations, Major General CO Onwuamaegbu (retd) and Former Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Usman Kukasheka (retd) and several other friends and family members.
The high point of the occasion was the traditional pulling out of the retired generals in a motorcade from the cantonment to the civil society.
The Presidency has dismissed claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments were directed at the political situation in Rivers State or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s constitutional decisions on the matter.
In a statement on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the Presidency described the reports as a “gross misrepresentation.”
The statement clarified that Vice President Shettima’s remarks at the public presentation of a book by former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), were misconstrued by some online platforms and individuals.
“These reports have distorted the Vice President’s comments in pursuit of a mischievous agenda,” it stated.
“They twisted his account of how the administration of former President Jonathan considered removing him as Borno Governor during the insurgency to falsely link it with current events in Rivers State.”
The Vice President, who spoke at the launch of OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block in Abuja on Thursday, was said to have referenced the past solely to commend Adoke’s professionalism while in office, and to reflect on Nigeria’s constitutional evolution regarding federal and state relations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara from office. The constitutional measure implemented was a suspension, not an outright removal.
“This action was taken in response to the grave political crisis in Rivers State at the time, with the governor facing a looming impeachment and the State Assembly complex under demolition,” Nkwocha clarified.
The Presidency insisted that the action taken by President Tinubu in declaring a state of emergency and suspending the Governor was fully in line with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which authorises such measures when there is a breakdown of public order requiring extraordinary intervention.
According to the statement, the President’s proclamation invoking Section 305(2) was subsequently ratified by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the National Assembly, confirming the legitimacy and constitutional propriety of the decision.
“The action of President Tinubu in suspending Mr. Fubara and others from exercising the functions of office averted the governor’s outright removal. To conflate suspension with removal is misleading,” the statement further noted.
Nkwocha also stressed that Vice President Shettima’s comments were delivered extemporaneously and intended to underline the importance of public accountability and historical documentation.
He referenced the Vice President’s mention of past public servants, including Adoke and former Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to illustrate principled leadership.
“His remarks were not in any way a criticism of President Tinubu’s actions, which the Vice President and the entire administration fully support and stand by without reservation,” the spokesman stated.
The Vice President, the statement added, remains in “loyal concert” with President Tinubu and is committed to implementing all constitutional measures necessary to safeguard democracy and uphold order across the country.
Concluding, the Presidency called on media organisations and political actors to desist from misrepresenting public remarks for sensational or partisan purposes.
“We urge media organisations and political actors to desist from the destructive practice of wrenching statements from context in order to fabricate nonexistent conflicts,” Nkwocha said.
Headlines
Akpabio Relieves Natasha of Committee Chairmanship Position, Appoints Akwa Ibom Senator As Replacement
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has replaced suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora/Non-Governmental Organisations.
In her place, Akpabio named Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim (Akwa Ibom -East).
The Senate President, who made the announcement on the floor in Abuja on Thursday, did not give any reasons.
The committee position had remained vacant since March when the Senate suspended the Kogi-Central Senatorial District lawmaker for six months for flouting the Senate’s rule on the seating arrangement and seat allocation.
The suspended lawmaker, at a point, chaired the Senate Committee on Local Content before Akpabio reassigned her to the Committee on Diaspora/NGO, shortly before she ran into trouble with the Senate over her conduct on seat allocation.
The Supreme Court has affirmed the 2024 governorship election victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo.
In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court ruled that the appeal lacked merit. It upheld the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had both declared Okpebholo the validly elected governor.
