•Ndume urges first-line charge for defence allocation

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has revealed plans to overhaul the security forces’ welfare, saying that military welfare must be treated as a national security priority rather than a peripheral issue.

This comes as he rejected a claim that he asked Nigerian soldiers to reject salary increases until after the 2027 elections, describing the report as false and insisting that he has never advocated withholding improved remuneration from the soldiers.

In a related development, former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to place the annual defence budget on first line charge to avoid bureaucratic delays.

In a statement yesterday commending President Bola Tinubu for approving salary increases for military personnel to boost their morale, Ndume also urged him to ensure prompt supply of arms, ammunition and other logistics, saying that better pay alone will not win the war against insurgency.

The former governor of Anambra State said in a statement yesterday that his concern has consistently been that Nigerian troops are being asked to defend the country under difficult conditions without adequate equipment, motivation, and protection.

Urging Nigerians to disregard the report, Obi said, “I never said the military should reject salary increase.”

However, using the controversy to place the welfare and survival of Nigerian soldiers at the centre of his political message ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Obi pointed specifically to the loss of soldiers to insurgents during what he described as a delayed rescue operation.

He questioned why the personnel defending the nation could be left exposed when they urgently needed assistance. According to him, that incident reinforced his conviction about military welfare, stating that “those who ensure Nigeria’s security must never be relegated to a secondary concern.”

He promised that if elected president, the welfare, resources, safety and honour of military personnel would receive priority attention.

His proposed approach, as outlined in the statement, centres on better support for troops, adequate resources and equipment, stronger protection for personnel and a government willing to stand firmly behind servicemen and women operating in dangerous theatres.

Obi also drew attention to what he described as an unacceptable scenario while confronting terrorists and insurgents, stating, “Under my leadership, scenarios where our servicemen and women are left unprotected in the face of peril will be eradicated.”

In the meantime, the former Labour Party presidential candidate warned Nigerians against unverified and politically motivated misinformation, including statements attributed to political figures, as the 2027 contest intensifies.

Restating his respect for the armed forces, Obi added: “My profound respect for our security forces, particularly the Nigerian Army personnel who diligently serve and protect our nation under challenging conditions, is unwavering.”

Meanwhile, Ndume, who once chaired the Senate Committee on Army, stated that the “envelope budgeting is trapped in unnecessary bureaucracy between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance. It is a big encumbrance to the effective operations of our men and officers in the war theatre.

“Mr President should seize the initiative to ensure direct statutory transfer from the federation account to the military, as is done with a few agencies of government.”

The Borno South Senator noted that the salary review coming after Tinubu’s recent expansion of military divisions from eight to 12 shows that he has his own blueprint aimed at dealing with the scourge of terrorism and banditry.

“I have been in the vanguard of better motivation for our men and officers in the military in terms of decent living wage. President Tinubu has once again proved that he is a responsive leader who doesn’t shut his mind to genuine and legitimate agitation of Nigerians,” he said.

Nevertheless, he urged the president “to keep up his pledge on the provision of weapons and technological tools required for the Armed Forces to effectively discharge their duties.”