Protest: Military Rule Not Solution, Says Al-Mustapha

A retired Nigerian Army major, intelligence officer, and politician, Hamza Al-Mustapha, has said that despite Nigerians’ frustrations, which have resulted in calls for a Military takeover, military rule is not the solution.

Al-Mustapha, who stated this while speaking with the press on the nation’s state, said Nigeria’s democratic practices must be refined to address the current challenges.

He said the military should rather be professionally subordinate to democracy, emphasising the need to strengthen the army and focus on improving security in the country.

Al-Mustapha, who served as Chief Security Officer to the late General Sani Abacha, the former Head of State, also lamented that the failure of those in power to address Nigerians’ grievances shows negligence and poor advice.

He said, “Military subordination to democracy is a clear direction as the world is today. But when you have democracy, the type we operate is the presidential system. In a debate, in our past presentations, I have been against the presidential system in Nigeria. The examples I gave are the fact that two close countries, the nearest to us, the United Kingdom and the United States, operate a parliamentary system, and the other operates a presidential system; all have to do with their historical backgrounds, with conveniences of the people and Nigeria is simply a copy card.

“We copied the parliamentary system; we changed it to the presidential system! The two are strange to our culture, history, background, and understanding as a people. How can you bring the same system and adopt it as yours? It would not work; it would be repulsive.

“I will give you some examples. Some politicians came to me and said you need not say that in the open; allow us to continue to operate the way we are, but I cannot form part of cheating.

What did I say? I said the United States is a country where immigrants who became citizens have laws protecting them, and the question I asked was, in Nigeria, who is an immigrant and who is an indigene?

“How can you have more laws and a system of governance that is protective of immigrants? Who is an immigrant in Nigeria? We are all citizens. So, we need to chart our course; we have to have the domestic type of democracy that will suit us and suit our future. I am calling for that, but the military issue is not.”

Speaking of protesters raising Russian flags, he said the display of the act indicates a search for alternatives due to a lack of confidence in the Nigerian system, not necessarily direct Russian involvement.

Al-Mustapha further said he does not support the protests but stressed that the good thing is that protesters gave notice, and despite the long notice, nothing happened, and it started.