SENATORS WALK OUT ON PANEL OVER LOPSIDED RECRUITMENT IN ARMY

 

Drama As Senators Walk Out On Panel Over ‘Lopsided Recruitment’ In Army

There was a mild drama at the Senate, on Tuesday, as two lawmakers walked out on the Committee on Army over alleged lopsided recruitment in the Nigerian Army.

The panel had invited the Commandant of Nigerian Army on Training and Doctrine, Major General S.O Olabanji, for an interactive meeting.

But senators Ibrahim Danbaba (PDP, Sokoto) and Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers) staged walkout when they were prevented from grilling the senior Army officer over allegation of lopsided recruitment carried out by the Army recently.

The acting chairman of the committee, Senator Abba Moro (PDP Benue), who presided over the meeting, ruled Danbaba out of order, saying “this meeting is not for such enquiry”.

Another committee member, Senator Barinada Mpigi (PDP, Rivers) raised the issue again, saying “lopsidedeness in recruitment is not an issue to be put aside or ruled against”.

But Senator Moro again ruled against the enquiry, insisting that the session was not for review of recruitment made by the Army but on tactical training and doctrine of men and officers.

The questions being raised by my colleagues on alleged lopsided recruitments are being thrown to the wrong person. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya is the one who can do justice to such allegation or enquiry,” he said.

Irked by the insistence of Abba Moro that questions on recruitment should not be entertained at the session, Danbaba and Mpigi walked out of the meeting in anger.

Speaking to newsmen after, Senator Danbaba said he walked out of the meeting with Senator Mpigi because of dictatorial action of Senator Moro.