2023 Polls: There’s Urgent Need For Security Sector Reform – Gen Danbazau

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Abdulrahman Bello Danbazau (retd.), has stressed the urgent need for a critical reform of the nation’s security sector ahead of the 2023 General Elections.

This was as he declared that the issues of zoning, restructuring, state policing, identity politics, religious and other sentiments will have far reaching impact in the 2023 election.

General Danbazau, who was also the Minister of Interior from 2015 to 2019, said that the need to put in place adequate security measures has become paramount if President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise of free, fair and credible elections in 2023 is to be achieved.

Danbazau, who stated these on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a key note address at the 2021 Blueprint Newspapers Annual Public Lectures and Impact Series/Awards with theme; “2023 Politics, National Security & Nigeria’s Stability”, said that if Nigeria is to guarantee national security and stability, there is the high need more than ever before for a holistic reform of the security sector.

The former Army Chief noted that practically every of the six geo-political zone has its own contribution to the security challenges bedeviling the country.

Danbazau further said; “For the reform to be successful, we also need to consider the importance of the welfare of the security personnel, their salaries, housing, education for their children, and any incentive that will boost their morale and make them sacrifice more”

Danbazau, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that he believe that Tinubu’s choice of Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2023 was not by chance but deliberate owing to his capacity to manage crises among other outstanding leadership qualities.

He therefore appealed to Nigerians to focus on issues of how to reduce poverty and provide good governance as against directing their energies on issues of religious and ethnic sentiments.

Danbazau said that adequate arrangement must be made ahead of the 2023 elections, stressing that the security threats against the 2023 are not only as a results of insurgency in the North but, also the IPOB that vowed that there will be no election in the Southeast geo-political zone, adding that IPOB or any other group must not be allowed to threaten the corporate existence of Nigeria.

The former Interior Minister also stressed the need for the government to have a rethink of its counter-insurgency strategies, saying that those found wanting should be severely punished to serve as deterrent to others.

Speaking in turn, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, who was the chairman of the occasion, said that the success of the 2023 General Elections would be depended on the politicians, political parties, candidates, their supporters, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Buni also stressed that the needed peace for the conduct of the 2023 polls cannot be overemphasized thus, challenged all stakeholders to consider national interest above personal interest just as he urged Nigerians to dwell on issues that will foster unity as against those that will cause disunity.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman/Publisher of the Blueprint Newspapers, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi said that the newspapers has remained consistent and afloat in spite of the harsh and difficult operating environment, adding that the organisation has a reached a point of “no retreat, no surrender”.

Idris said that the fact that Blueprint Ltd has gone this far is an indication of its ability in the business of newspaper production even as he admitted that it is nerve breaking and very hard, adding however that the staff and management of Blueprint have kept the promise.

In his words; “As one of Nigeria’s leading newspapers, we are constantly on the part of peace building and national security. At Blueprint Newspapers, we pray every day not to be agents of destabilization of the Nigerian state. Our aim and objective all the time is to ensure that Nigeria remains one and united”.

The well attended event witnessed the presentation of the 2021 Blueprint Awards to various personalities that include, Atiku Abubakar, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State amongst others.