DEFENCE MINISTER: JONATHAN MOUNTS PRESSURE ON GUSAU

Pressure is being mounted on General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau to rejoin the Jonathan administration as Minister of Defence, Peoples Daily has learnt.
A number of sources close to both the retired general and the Presidency confirmed to our reporter that there were series of contacts between Gusau and some highly placed persons, said to be emissaries of Aso Rock to the general.
One of our sources disclosed that one of those envoys, a visible top official of government who is also an ex soldier met General Aliyu Gusau nearly two months ago, appealing to him to consider the request for him to step in and boost national security and particularly strengthening the ongoing war against terrorism.

The source hinted that President Jonathan appears to be “highly dissatisfied” with the current efforts of curbing terrorism, “especially after the recent wave of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno and Yobe states despite the emergency rule in the states”.
Gusau, according to our sources, would be made a ‘coordinating minister’ in charge of the national security defence, but with special responsibility to coordinate the fight against terrorism as well as other security operations “that are critical to the stability of the government, and return of normalcy to the crises-ridden parts of the country”.
Although it was not clear at the weekend if the Presidency had succeeded in persuading the former intelligence chief to accept its offer, one of our sources said opinions were divided among the retired general’s associates as to whether or not he should rejoin the government.
“While some argue that President Jonathan’s popularity is at its lowest in the North, General Gusau’s constituency and that it will be politically suicidal for him to agree to come back and serve this same government, others believe it will tragic if he refuses, more so that it is his own people (northerners) who are worst hit by the security challenges”, the source further disclosed.
The latter group, according to the source, argued that no matter what some people might feel about
Gusau’s return to serve in Jonathan government, even if they think the President’s offer is a ploy to boost his yet-to-be declared 2015 second term ambition, the former
National Security Adviser (NSA) “must accept the offer because he has what it takes to deal with the current security challenges especially insurgency”.
Contacted for his reaction, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said he was not aware of such development, but will cross check and get back to our reporter.
When, after about four hours, the presidential spokesman did not respond to our inquiry, our reporter still called Dr. Abati’s cell phone but he neither responded nor returned the call up to press time last night.
Gusau has been a key player in Nigerian intelligence community for over three decades and is well respected in the international intelligence and diplomatic circles. He had also played some crucial roles in Nigeria’s political trajectory.
For instance, on November 17, 1993, along with Generals Sani Abacha and Oladipo Diya, he marched into Chief Ernest Shonekan’s office in Aso Rock and asked him to quit and handover to
Abacha. But after a few months, Gusau fell out with the late Head of state and also had to leave that government.
The renowned intelligence chief was also instrumental in installing General Olusegun Obasanjo as civilian president in 1999. He was made NSA by Chief Obasanjo and later made a bid for the presidency in 2007. He was then re appointed as NSA by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010, before resigning, again, to take another shot at the Presidency in the 2011 Presidential elections.

Source: Peoples Daily