General Ibrahim Babangida Defends Buhari, Warns Against Ridiculing The Army

Former military President General Ibrahim Babangida yesterday rose in defence of the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, on the genuineness of his secondary school certificate.

Gen. Babangida warned that any attempt to politicise the military would not be in the nation’s interest.

“It is a very dangerous thing to do,” he told The Nation in an interview in Minna.He said there was no way Buhari would have risen to the rank of a general in the army without possessing the basic educational qualification.

Babangida, who was reacting to the controversy sparked by the certificate in an exclusive interview, said the army, as an institution, subjects all its intakes to proper scrutiny, training and re-training. He was shocked at the heat generated by the issue and advised those who feel aggrieved to go to court. He warned that the military should not be ridiculed as it remains, in his opinion, the only institution of national unity and that it is passionate about acquisition of knowledge by its officers.

His words:
”The military is one institution that believes in constant learning and training. You receive the initial training from the Staff College. After one year, you go for another round of intensive training that is all encompassing.

“It is one institution that is concerned about knowledge, even in warfare.
The military requires you to keep abreast of development in warfare, weaponry and education.
“Perhaps, military is the best institution that is concerned about training and knowledge and about discipline because no officer is considered for promotion without having the prerequisite qualification and must pass the required examinations”.

He cautioned the political class to desist from politicising the military, pointing out that any such attempt will be dangerous for the institution and the nation. “The military remains the institution of unity. I will not support the idea of politicising the military,” he said.

The former military leader was, however, full of confidence that the military will strive to keep above the scheming of the politicians “as it is capable and will resist any undue attempt to influence it.“This is nothing but politics. I think those aggrieved should know what to do. Anybody who feels aggrieved should go to court and let the court make a pronouncement that will settle everything”.