Security summit: Refrain from needless comments, Senate cautions Defense Minister

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has cautioned Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru, to refrain from caustic remarks that could cause dissension between the Executive and the Legislature.

Akpabio’s declaration was on the heels of comments attributed to the Defense Minister who expressed strong reservations about the the two days Security Summit proposed by the Senate at its Tuesday plenary.

The former governor of Jigawa State had said the proposed gathering could provide useful input, but could not be substituted for well-thought-out military strategies.

“On the summit, yes, strategy is far more important than summit. But summit will give you some inputs for the strategy. When you hold a summit, you have people, they talk. We take what they expect, and we go back to design or renew our strategy.

“Then, the Chief of Defence Staff gives operational orders, based on the strategy they developed. So what the National Assembly is trying to do, maybe, is to bring people together to discuss issues. You hear a lot.

“I visited most of the past defense ministers. I visited most of the past service chiefs to discuss issues of security during their time and what we see today. And I’m sure the service chiefs also do the same. So the summit can help, but the strategy is much more important.”

Shortly before adjournment of plenary, leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele has called the attention of the chamber to Badaru’s remarks.

President of the Senate in his response said if the Minister has any issue with the proposed security summit or any resolution of the Parliament, he should not trade it in what he called an open market.

He said: “I think the Senate will look into that issue. If defense has any issue with any resolution of the Senate, it shouldn’t do so in the market. It should get in touch with the Senate President or the Senate Leaders. He should get in touch with us, not to go and speak in the open and it will amount to executive, legislative brouhaha. So we will pick that up at the appropriate time.”

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