Automatic NDA admission breaches federal character principle, official tells Reps
The Nigerian Defence Academy has opposed a proposed amendment to its enabling Act that would grant automatic admission to graduates of military secondary schools, warning that the move could undermine the constitutional principle of federal character and discriminate against other qualified Nigerians.
The Nigerian Defence Academy has opposed a proposed amendment to its enabling Act that would grant automatic admission to graduates of military secondary schools, warning that the move could undermine the constitutional principle of federal character and discriminate against other qualified Nigerians.
The academy’s position was presented on Tuesday by the Director of Military Training, Brigadier General Taiye Ahmed, during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence on proposed amendments to defence-related laws.
The hearing, chaired by the Chairman of the Committee, Babajimi Benson, considered four bills, including a proposal to amend the NDA Act to provide automatic admission for graduates of Nigerian military schools into the academy.
Ahmed told lawmakers that the amendment seeks to alter Section 8(2) of the Second Schedule to the NDA Act by introducing what he described as an “automatic admission, right of first refusal” arrangement for graduates of military secondary schools.
According to him, the proposed amendment provides that, “The board shall offer automatic admission for successful graduates from Nigerian military schools.”
He explained that proponents of the bill justified the proposal on the grounds that military school graduates possess military training and should be protected from possible recruitment by criminal and violent groups.
“The justification advanced by the proponents is to prevent the graduates of the schools from being handy tools in the hands of non-state violent actors because of the graduate military background,” he said.
The proposed amendment also seeks to define Nigerian military schools as institutions providing both military and academic training, including the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, Air Force Military School, Air Force Girls Military School and the Nigerian Navy Military School.
However, Ahmed said the NDA does not support the amendment in its current form, arguing that it could create constitutional and legal complications.
“It was observed that if the amendment is passed as phrased, it has the potential of creating statutory bottlenecks on the constitutional principle of federal character. The NDA operates on this principle to ensure national unity and equal representation across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT,” he said.
He warned that granting automatic admission to a particular category of applicants could be challenged as discriminatory by other Nigerians seeking admission into the academy.
“Moreover, the proposed amendment could face legal challenges for being discriminatory against applicants who did not attend the military school, as it could be perceived as disenfranchising them for admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy,” he added.
The NDA, he noted, already provides equal opportunities for military school graduates and civilian candidates to compete for admission under an established merit-based system.
“The graduates of military schools currently have equal opportunity to seek admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy to be commissioned as regular combatant officers by competing with other interested Nigerians.
“The process has consistently ensured that the NDA selects the best candidates irrespective of the secondary school they attended,” he argued.
Ahmed further told lawmakers that military school graduates already enjoy several pathways into military service and eventual commissioning as officers.
“Graduates of the military schools have the opportunity for immediate enlistment as soldiers, especially the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, upon graduation from military secondary schools, and thereafter proceed to higher military institutions through military sponsorship. Upon graduation from higher institutions, these graduates could apply to be commissioned as officers through the short service commission or the direct short service commission when advertised by any of the three services of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” he stressed.
He added that personnel who do not secure commissions through those channels can still advance through the executive commission route later in their careers.
“Those unable to secure admission through the short service commission or the direct short service commission could apply for the executive commission later in their career,” he added.
Ahmed stressed that admission into the NDA remains highly competitive and is based on strict academic, physical, medical and psychological standards.
“It is pertinent to state that the NDA has a very strict admission criteria, including minimum JAMB score as well as very high standard physical, psychological and medical standards,” he further said.
He disclosed that records from previous admission exercises showed that civilian applicants sometimes outperform graduates of military secondary schools.
“Available records in the Armed Forces show that civilian candidates could be better than some military school graduates based on their earlier mentioned criteria to avoid disenfranchising excellent candidates that did not have the opportunity of attending military schools from admission into NDA,” Ahmed stated.
He concluded by urging lawmakers to retain the current admission framework.
“The NDA is of the opinion that the current admission process into the NDA should be maintained,” he argued.
The proposal is one of several defence-sector reform bills currently before the House of Representatives. Others considered at the hearing include bills seeking to establish a Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre to improve coordination of military operations, create an Armed Forces Medical College in Abuja, and upgrade the National Defence College into a postgraduate degree-awarding institution and centre for strategic research and professional military education.
Speaking at the end of the hearing, Mr Benson thanked stakeholders for their submissions, saying the legislature would carefully consider all views before making a decision.
“This is the people’s parliament. The contributions have been worthwhile,” Benson said.
