The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to be transparent with the Nigerians regarding the surprise shift in the command of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
It was in a statement on Friday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, that the ADC expressed regret that the sudden change of heart happened amid far-reaching rumors of a failed coup, and demanded clear and candid explanations from the government in an effort to reassure the people.
Though conceding that the President, as Commander-in-Chief, has constitutional powers to appoint or relieve Service Chiefs, the ADC was concerned about the timing of the announcement, noting that most of the officers affected were appointed less than 28 months ago, with the incumbent Chief of Defence Staff having served as Chief of Army Staff just a year ago.
“The action has dire implications for stability within the ranks in the military and therefore could not have been taken without overriding reasons. The Federal Government owes Nigerians a straight-up explanation about precisely what actually transpired,” Abdullahi wrote.
The opposition party also warned that the action might trigger rumour and conspiracy peddling, particularly given the unstable security situation in some parts of the nation and indeed the wider Sahel.
It is obvious that the Tinubu administration is preoccupied. Security is still on the rise and terrorist and bandit activities are re-emerging, and yet the reforms are not intended to address this. The administration is more interested in regime politics than in protecting Nigerians,” the statement added.
The ADC urged the Federal Government to address the matter openly and reassure the people that Nigeria’s democracy is strong and secure.
