By Inalegwu Shaibu
ABUJA—Senate President, David Mark, yesterday charged the Chiefs of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, and Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar, to ensure professionalism in the military by remaining subordinate to civil authority.

Senator Mark, who gave the charge in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, also tasked the service chiefs to make positive changes in the affairs of Nigeria’s Armed Forces.

The statement read: “I need not remind you that democracy is now the order of the day and that you must subject yourselves to civil authority.”

Mark, while also commending the works of the military in the sustenance of peace and stability in the country, maintained that the nation desired very mobile armed forces it could be proud of.

He praised the armed forces for surmounting the challenges at several trying times, saying “you remained focussed and was professionally- minded.”

Senator Mark promised that the National Assembly would,  within the ambits of the law, continue to support the armed forces.

“There is need for the armed forces to collaborate with the civilian administration, because there is no strong democracy in the world without strong armed forces,” he stated.

He noted that armed forces anywhere in the world were expensive to maintain, but noted that there was no alternative to having a strong armed forces to back up a strong democracy.

The statement also quoted the Chief of Defence Staff, Oluseyi Petinrin pledging the total loyalty of the military to the government and people of Nigeria.

“We will do all within our powers so that Nigeria can develop in an atmosphere of peace devoid of violence and problems,” the statement reads.”