Given the widespread misinterpretation and
or misrepresentation of Vice President
Mohammed Namadi Sambo's comments in the UK
over the incessant abuse of protocol and why
President Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) prefers
to be addressed simply as Mr. President, it
has become imperative to shed light on the
matter.While responding to a question on the
usually long list of protocol at functions
by Nigerian public office holders, the Vice
President Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo at
Oxford University, International Relations
Society lecture held on Friday 22nd October
2010, has said that President Goodluck
Jonathan, as a matter of reducing protocol,
has decided that he be addressed as Mr.
President, since it goes without saying that
he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Vice President had countered that it was
not the practice for pointless titles to be
proliferated especially in the current
administration and had observed that
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was
equally opposed to it. For instance, he
said, the President is averse to the
widespread abuse of the title of
Commander-in-Chief, such that in the most
unnecessary circumstances, people announce
the 'arrival of the Commander-in-Chief',
instead of simply 'Mr. President'.
President Jonathan is and remains the
Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed
Forces. Section 130 (1) of the 1999
Constitution states that ”There shall be for
the Federation a President.(2) 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."The said statement does not
in any way suggest that Mr. President is no
more the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
but prefers to only be addressed as Mr.
President in the spirit of reducing long
list of protocol. Only recently,
the nation saw President Jonathan review the
naval fleet as Admiral of the Fleet, as part
of the Nigeria at 50 celebrations.
If he was not the Commander-in-Chief, he
would not adorn that uniform.This is for
clarification and guidance please.
UMAR SANI
Senior Special Assistant (Media and
Publicity) to the Vice President
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