By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Minister of Defence, Ahlaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has begun wide consultations, as part of an effort to seek professional advice from former leaders, and other critical stakeholders in the defence ecosystem, on how to tackle and accomplish the task ahead of him.
Director Press, Ministry of Defence, Ms.Victoria Agba-Attah, in a statement, said, the Minister began the consultations over the weekend with a courtesy visit to the former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, and the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai in their homes in Abuja.
The statement said that the Minister’s visit was to seek professional advice from both of them on how to tackle and accomplish the task ahead of him.
While briefing the former Nigerian leaders, the Minister told them that given the task and responsibilities ahead of him, his minister statute needed to consult and tap from the wisdom and wealth of their experience.
Alhaji Badaru said he will not relent in his efforts of wider consultations with elders and former Nigerian leaders on how to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation.
The Defence Minister commended the Former Head of State General Abdulsalam Abubakar who was also the head of ECOWAS special envoy to Niger Republic for his efforts to restore peace and overcome the current political impasse in that country.
The Director Press recalled that General Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Military Head of State from 1998 to 1999 is a renowned elder statesman and a peace Ambassador for ECOWAS and the United Nations.
On his part, General Martin Luther Agwai has served the nation as the Commander of the combined United Nations- African Union Peacekeeping Force in Darfur.
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He has also served as Chief of Staff and Chief of Defence Staff respectively.
Both leaders commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for appointing Badaru as Minister of Defence, describing him as a great achiever.
They wished him a successful tour of duty as Minister of Defence.
