A group, Associated Security Experts (ASE) has declared their support for the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, over the appointment of General Abayomi Olonisakin (rtd) and Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd) into its campaign council.
The group led by Chief Philip Agbese, a human rights lawyer and security expert said Tinubu, by this gesture, is fully ready for governance and will not disappoint the country.
Olonisakin and Buratai were part of the 442-member presidential campaign council unveiled by the ruling party on Saturday.
The former military chiefs were named into the intelligence and security unit as co-director and co-deputy director respectively.
Commending the move, Agbese said Olonisakin and Buratai will bring their wealth of experience in security and diplomacy to bear for the good of the party.
He said as Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff, they oversaw a golden era in the country’s history and left behind lasting legacies that redefined the ethos of counterinsurgency operations and civil-military relations.
The rights lawyer said the pair made extraordinary sacrifices for the survival of the nation at its critical period, setting the path for peace, progress and unity.
He added that the soldier-statesmen have taken their sacrifices for the country to another level as diplomats to Cameroon and the Republic of Benin respectively.
Agbese said Buratai has evolved into a nationalist, grassroots mobiliser and mini-institution that is loved and respected by Nigerians.
Further extolling the qualities of the former COAS, he added that he is also a mobiliser of intellect and a researcher in the field of security.
According to him, their appointments show that the APC presidential candidate rewards excellence, hard work and dedication.
He said it also suggests that tinubu is well-armed for the task ahead and will assemble the best brains into his cabinet if elected president.
While congratulating the former Lagos State Governor for another giant step towards the presidency in 2023, Agbese assured of the backing of security experts in the country and across the world.
He said the Associated Security Experts will use its strong network both locally and in the diaspora to mobilise support for his ambition.
Agbese, however, tasked Olonisakin and Buratai to once again prove their mettle in this new challenge.
He promised that security experts are totally behind them and will do everything possible for the APC to succeed.
