Lagos lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegoruwa has threatened to
drag president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari to court, for
asking Nigerians to stop calling him “General” from
May 29.
A statement by his Media Director, Mallam Garba
Shehu, had stated that: “From May 29, 2015, the
President-elect and Vice-President-elect are to be
respectively known and addressed as Muhammadu
Buhari, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo, SAN, Vice President, Federal Republic of
Nigeria”.
Reacting, the lawyer described the statement as
shocking and unacceptable.
He argues that by virtue of Buhari’s membership of the
Nigerian Army, he became Head of State, and earned
salaries and benefits even when he contested elections
in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Adegboruwa warned that should Buhari ignore his
appeal, by insisting on denying his past, whilst he
continues to earn salaries and benefits through the
same rank that he seeks to jettison, “I shall file a suit
before the Federal High Court, to seek an injunction to
restrain the President-elect from denying his official
and legal titles, or alternatively, to give up, pay back
and restore, all the pensions, salaries and benefits that
he has so far earned, either as a commissioned officer
of the Nigerian Army, or as a former military Head of
State.”
The letter reads:
EBUN-OLU ADEGBORUWA & CO
Barristers, Solicitors, Consultants
‘
PRESS RELEASE ON BUHARI’S STATUS
MAJOR-GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI (Retd.), AN
ARMY GENERAL FOR LIFE
I have read the press statement of the President-elect
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), indicating that as from
May 29, 2015, he would like to be addressed simply as
Muhammadu Buhari, without reflecting his official
designation as a retired officer in the Nigerian Army.
This is totally shocking, and rather unacceptable. I
therefore humbly urge all Nigerians to disregard this
appeal from the President-elect, as it is illegal and
immoral, upon the following reasons.
1. Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.) is the
official and legal status, title, designation and
appellation of our dear President-elect. He has no
choice in the matter but to continue to carry this cross,
for life.
2. The military in Nigeria and the world over, is a
dignified professional institution, built upon the solid
foundations of discipline, selflessness, courage,
dignity, loyalty and patriotism. It is an institution that
everyone should be proud of, except those of them who
were trained and equipped by this noble institution, but
chose to capture civilian power, through coup detat.
3. Under and by virtue of the Armed Forces Act, (s.25)
a retired army officer, such as the President-elect, is
forever a part and parcel of the Nigerian Army.
4. Under and by virtue of Paragraph 1(1) of the 1st
Schedule of the Armed Forces Pensions Act, Major-
General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is entitled to and
has indeed been receiving and benefiting from pension,
as an officer who held a regular commission, before his
retirement.
5. Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (Retd.) illegally
seized power in Nigeria from an elected President, on
December 31, 1983 and forcefully crowned himself as
Head of State. He forcefully held on to power for 1 year,
239 days, before he was also deposed on August 27,
1985, by General Ibrahim Babangida (Retd.). He is thus
a retired commissioned officer of the Nigerian Army
and he remains so for as long as he lives.
6. Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.) attends
the Council of State meeting as former Head of State,
which office he held in his capacity as a Major-
General.
7. Under and by virtue of section 1 of the Remuneration
of Former Presidents and Heads of State Act No. 32 of
1999, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), is
entitled to a very fat salary as pension, for life. He is
also entitled to the following benefits:
(i) Chief Administrative Officer of not less than Grade
Level 12;
(ii) Personal Secretary of not less than Grade Level 12;
(iii) Four armed policemen as his private security;
(iv) A top ranking State Security Service officer as his
Aide De Camp;
(v) Three official vehicles to be changed every four
years;
(vi) Three drivers to be paid by Federal Government;
(vii) Diplomatic Passport for life;
(viii) Free medical treatment in Nigeria for himself and
members of his family;
(ix) Free medical treatment abroad for himself and
members of his family;
(x) Thirty days annual leave;
(xi) Well equipped and well furnished office
accommodation;
(x) Well equipped and well furnished living apartment,
not less than five bedroom duplex;
(xi) Free telephone, etc.
(8) The President-elect became entitled to all the
above, by virtue of his membership of the Nigerian
Army; he became Head of State, by virtue of his
commission as an officer of the Nigerian Army and he
has earned these salaries and benefits as such, over
the years, even when he contested elections in 2003,
2007, 2011 and 2015.
(9) The moral question, involved in the President-
elect’s sudden change of status, is in the fact that he
contested election and canvassed for votes, from
Nigerians and he was so voted for, as a retired military
general. He should continue to bear and carry that
honourable title of Major-General, for as long as he
lives.
10. Thus, so long as Major-General Muhammadu
Buhari (Retd.), is earning his pensions from the
Nigerian Army, so long as Major-General Muhammadu
Buhari (Retd.), is earning all his benefits as a former
military Head of State and so long as Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), has not changed his name
and status in the way recognised by law, the good
people of Nigeria, in particular the Nigerian Army, are
well urged to continue to address him as a retired
Major-General.
PERSONAL APPEAL
From all the foregoing, I therefore humbly appeal to the
President-elect, to continue to bear his official name
and status, by which he once climbed to power. I do
sincerely sympathise with the President-elect, on the
very sad and distasteful memories, that this title
attracts to him, but it is his cross to carry. Nigerians
voted for him, in spite of his past and that should be
enough encouragement for him, to strive to erase any
negative impression, that it may have occasioned.
The best option for the President-elect, to erase those
memories from our hearts, is not by seeking to deny his
past, but rather to use his present position, to address
the fundamental issues of corruption, epileptic power
supply, unemployment, insecurity, infrastructure
development and such other issues, that were the
subject of his campaign promises.
COURT CASE
Should the President-elect ignore this appeal, by
insisting on denying his past, whilst he continues to
earn salaries and benefits through the same rank that
he seeks to jettison, I shall file a suit before the Federal
High Court, to seek an injunction to restrain the
President-elect from denying his official and legal
titles, or alternatively, to give up, pay back and restore,
all the pensions, salaries and benefits that he has so
far earned, either a commissioned officer of the
Nigerian Army, or as a former military Head of State.
The problem facing Nigerians presently is not about
designation, titles or status, but rather that of fulfilment
of all the promises made during the campaigns. WE
WANT REAL CHANGE, NOW, NOW, NOW!
Thank you all. God bless Nigeria.
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