Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, decried agitations for military take over in the country following hardship occasioned by fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.

Al-Mustapha,who described the call as misplaced priority,said there was no longer room for military intervention in Nigeria’s political affairs, adding that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

To this end,he advised the agitators to channel their energies in investing in military subordination to democracy, adding that military rule was no longer fashionable the world over.

Speaking to select journalists , Wednesday, in Abuja, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Action Alliance, AA, said:  My advice to them (coup agitators) is that military professionalism is what they should canvass for. Military subordination to democracy is what they should invest in and put all their energies there for.

The retired Nigerian Army Major, intelligence officer and politician, however,opposed both parliamentary and presidential system of government which Nigeria is practicing, saying it was strange to the historical backgrounds of the people of Nigeria.

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He said he was now a democrat and would not subscribe to any insubordination to democracy in whatever guise, asking those calling for coup to drop the idea and rather work to deepen the nation’s democracy.

“I am by definition today, a politician. I am looking at this country today from democratic sense. We have invested in it and we are investing in it. Our researches are all towards the investment of democratic excellence in Nigeria.

“Military subordination to democracy is a clear direction as the world is today. But when you have democracy,the type that we are operating -presidential system….

” In a debate,in our presentation in the past, I said I am against presidential system in Nigeria and the examples I gave is the fact that two close countries,the closest to us,the United Kingdom and the United States,one is operating parliamentary system and the other is operating presidential system,all has to do with their historical backgrounds,with conveniences of the people and Nigeria is simply a copy card. We copied parliamentary system,we changed it to presidential system! All the two are strange to our culture, to our history, to our background,to our understanding as a people. How can you bring the same system and adopt as yours? It would not work,it will be repulsive.

“Some politicians came to me and said ‘you need not to 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 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 of laws and system of governance that is protective of immigrants? Who is an immigrant in Nigeria? We are all citizens. So,we need to chart our own course,we have to have domestic type of democracy that will suit us and suit our future. That is what I am calling for but the issue of military,no.

He continued:”My advice to them is that military professionalism is what they should canvas for. Military subordination to democracy is what they should invest in and put all their energies there for.”

He noted that the military has been overstretched.

“Remember, prior to the protest, Nigeria was totally enveloped ,the military is overstretched, trying to provide solutions or to contend Boko Haram, contend banditry, contend other numerous abuses, kidnapping and the rest of it and all the other social vices that have bedeviled Nigeria.

“The problems are more than the police and today,the military is overstretched and these things have continued to linger.

“If you care to investigate to see the scale of crime rate in Nigeria, you would realize that there is a buildup rather than a decline and that is most disturbing.

“That is to say the capacity in our military has actually been overstretched. So what is expected of Nigeria and Nigerians is to first help the military to either increase in strength and then giving them task that is scientifically proven in numerous other countries that have contended insecurity.

” Remember, Nigeria with her resources,is enemy in the eyes of many,in the international politics and if we we are not conscious of that,then it is certain that we are blinded and we will continue to go into this unfortunate merry-go-round that is pushing us into the rock.

“We must adjust,we have to do it and it doesn’t matter who it pains,those who are investing in it and feeding fat should understand that is the role of enemy of state. So such enemies of state should be fished out without doubt and then tell them to stay away and then professionalism in our military and subordinating the military to democracy, that is the direction,” he said.