By Dansu Peter
The Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Good Governance and Transparency said Buhari should honour the immediate past Service Chiefs with the award of the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger.
Conveners of the coalition, Dr Emmanuel Ogar and Abubakar Gana, said the immediate past Service Chiefs while in service defended the nation's territorial integrity, fight against external aggression, and maintained law and order within Nigeria.
A statement by the group reads partly: "You all aware that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday, accepted the immediate resignation of Service Chiefs and their retirement from service.
"Before appointing new sets of officers to take their place, President Buhari in a rare show of emotion, thanked the former chiefs for what he called their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country and wished them well in their future endeavours.
"From this we can deduce that the President appreciated their service and commitment to fatherland and will miss their dedication to duty and sense of patriotism.
"It is at this point that we want to suggest to the Federal Government to honour these well deserving Nigerians so as to encourage others to strive for excellence.
"Every year the Federal Government awards national honours to deserving Nigerians who have served the nation well.
"We make bold to say that the immediate past set of service chiefs who retired on Wednesday, have from all indices, served Nigeria well
"From the Chief of Defence Staff, to the Chief of Army Staff, to the Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Navy. They were exceptionally good.
"For the little over five years that they were in office, they were able to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, fight against external aggression and maintain law and order within the country.
"These tested military chiefs were able to achieve all these because they were coordinated, blended so well and worked as a team.
"We believe it would be in the interest of Nigeria and her citizens, that these set of chiefs who have done well for the country be rewarded as they deserve to be given special recognition due to ther service to fatherland.
"It is in line with this belief that we shall commence the process of submitting nominations on their behalf for th Nigerian National Honours award.
"The honours award as we are all aware, was instituted by the National Honors Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Republic, to honour Nigerians who have rendered service for the benefit of the nation.
"The types include order of the Federal Republic and Order of the Niger with each category having a Grand Commander, Commander, Officer and Member .
"Since the Grand Commander is usually given to Presidents and Heads of State, we will be submitting nominations for the immediate past service chiefs to be honoured with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, award.
"We have gone through the processes for the award and we have found that they are eminently qualified due to the services they rendered the country more so as the award is said to be to encourage people to do more, to promote excellence and patriotism, to promote selfless and meritorious service."
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