Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has warned the military against involving themselves in partisan politics ahead of the 2019 elections.
Abubakar gave the warning while on a visit to the Tactical Air Command of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Makurdi, on Tuesday.
He stated that though, as Nigerians, military personnel have the right to cast their votes for politicians of their choice, they are, however, not allowed to actively participate in politics.
Acording to Marshal Abubakar, “I have made it very clear that, we, as Nigerians have every right to cast our votes and elect whoever we want to elect, but that is where it stops.
“The military should not be involved in partisan politics and I have urged them to steer clear of being partisan.
“Our responsibility is very clear; get your voter cards and on the day of election, go there, elect whoever you want to elect and come back to your base. You have no reason to interact with politician.”
The Chief of the Air Staff, who also inspected the 400-hour F-7 fighter aircraft undergoing repairs at the Makurdi NAF base, expressed joy that the aircraft could now be fixed in Nigeria with little expenses as against what used to obtain in the past.
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He continued, “This is the first time in the history of the NAF that we have been able to conduct 400-hour inspection of the F-7 fighter aircraft.
“This is something that is so special to us because if we are to do this outside, it would have cost us a lot of money. But the fact that we did it here from the briefing given to me by the Commander, we did everything for about N3 million.
“This is something that would have cost ver N30 million. And that we have been able to build sufficient capacity to be able to undertake this maintenance work by our own people in Nigeria is something that is so special and that is one of the reasons I am here,” he said.
The Air Force chief also inspected a quick response wing of the NAF which is already being activated in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, while assuring that the facility would soon be completed so that forces currently undergoing training in Kaduna can be immediately deployed to the area.