From Fred Itua, Abuja
National Chairman, Restructure Actualisation Movement, (RAM), Gen. Henry Ayoola (retd), has revealed that military coup will no longer be an option to change government. He said Nigerian military gets a better deal in a democracy as against military rule.
Ayoola who said this while fielding questions from newsmen on the damage the military has caused the nation through its many coups, maintained that the collective destiny of Nigeria presently remained far more important than any group’s interest.
According to him, Nigeria is on the edge and being bedevilled by myriad of insecurity challenges, thus underscoring the need for restructuring the Nigerian system to address the problems with enduring solutions.
“Notwithstanding my military background, I cannot pretend or run away from that fact that we have been through that phase in our national life. A lot of lessons have been learnt and that is why it is no longer fashionable for any such thing.
“I do not see any military officer nursing the idea of military incursion anymore. Not only has it become not fashionable anymore, the truth is that, as a military officer, I can tell you that the military experienced better professional development in a democratic government.
“I started my career as a boy soldier, as a soldier, an officer cadet and an officer, I have passed through all the four possible phases of being a soldier, and so I know the mindset of being a soldier. The truth is that there were mistakes in the past, but the officers themselves fare better under democracy than under military regime, I mean you can take that to the bank.
“We as military personnel all suffered some consequences under military regime. Officers have better career prospect, better career stability, professional fulfilment and all of that, the few who benefit from military regime are so insignificant in terms of number,” he said.
