Former Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Zubairu Gambo, has allegedly declined to step down and hand over to his successor, disregarding directives from the President.
Despite the presidential order, Gambo has chosen to prolong his tenure, stating unresolved matters as the reason for his decision
He has expressed his intention to leave office after resolving various financial issues, including the payment of substantial amounts to contractors and naval officers.
While the other service chiefs have complied with the presidential directive, Gambo remains in his position, asserting his responsibility for disbursing funds to the Nigerian Navy and insisting on fulfilling this obligation before vacating office.
According to a source from the Nigerian Navy headquarters in Abuja, “The chief of naval staff is still present. We have been urging him to adhere to the President’s order and relinquish his position for the newly appointed individual.”
Reportedly, Gambo has stated that the payment to contractors might face delays under his successor, despite assurances that the Navy would honor all valid contractual commitments.
A senior naval officer, commenting on the situation, expressed astonishment, saying, “We have never encountered anything like this in our service. He should recognize that any action he takes after the President’s public announcement holds no validity within the Nigerian Navy.”
Furthermore, Gambo intends to allocate millions of dollars for emergency repairs on the NNS Aradu, a significant naval vessel, even though recommendations have been made to decommission the ship and transfer it to a naval museum.
A source mentioned that Gambo is also finalizing payment for the NNS Aradu’s repairs, disregarding the conclusion that the ship, commissioned in 1980, should be taken out of service and preserved in a naval museum.
Under Gambo’s leadership, the navy had reportedly allocated $200 million for the repairs, despite suggestions to decommission the vessel.