DONT CALL ME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES

The circular reference number Ref. No. SGF/OP/1/S.3/X/664,dated 14 October,2013, from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, signed by Anyim Pius  Anyim,  Secretary to the Government of the Federation read thus:

Ref. No. SGF/OP/1/S.3/X/664
Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
The Presidency,
Shehu Shagari Complex,
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja.
14th October, 2013
Chief of Staff to the President,
Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice-President,
Honourable Ministers/Ministers of State,
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation,
Special Advisers/Senior Special Assistants,
Service Chiefs/Inspector-General of Police,
Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission,
Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal,
Chairman, Federal Character Commission,
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission,
Chairman, National Population Commission,
Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission,
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria,
Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,
Chairman, National Assembly Service Commission,
Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments,
Clerk of the National Assembly,
Chief Registrar, Supreme Court of Nigeria,
Secretary, National Judicial Council,
Auditor-General for the Federation,
Accountant-General of the Federation,
Directors-General/Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Government-Owned Companies.
USE OF OFFICIAL PORTRAIT AND APPROPRIATE DESIGNATION OF THE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

It has come to the attention of Mr. President that several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as other Organisations often use his unofficial pictures in programmes of events, invitation cards or publications. Mr. President has, therefore, directed that, henceforth only his official portrait should be printed in official documents or displayed in offices.

2. It is further directed that except in purely armed forces programmes, Mr. President should not be addressed as the “Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” The approved designation of the President for the purposes of all official correspondence, public announcements or
Communication should be “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” I am to stress that for all official purposes, Mr. President should be addressed as follows:

“His Excellency, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR,
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”

3. You are accordingly required to bring the foregoing directives of the President to the attention of all concerned for strict compliance, please.
Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON
Secretary to the Government of the Federation

However, i do not know what this circular implies, concerning the removal of appellate “Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’’ from his designations, ‘except in purely armed forces programmes’ and  that he would like to be addressed as “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”!!!

The Section 130 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) states: “There shall be for the Federation a President. The President shall be the Head of State, the Chief Executive of the Federation and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation.”

Also, Section 218(1) of the constitution spells out the powers of the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation to include the power to determine the operational use of the armed forces of the Federation.

By virtue of the constitution, and the way it was scripted, the President is the Commander -In-Chief of the Nigerian armed forces!!! What is really going on?