The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be transparent with Nigerians about the real reasons behind the “sudden and rather abrupt change in the leadership of the Nigerian military.”
Daily Trust had earlier reported that the president dismissed most of the service chiefs he appointed two years ago.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that the shake-up came shortly after rumours of an attempted coup circulated across the country.
“While we acknowledge that the President, as Commander-in-Chief, reserves the right to make such changes as he deems fit, we are nonetheless concerned that this decision comes in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup,” the statement read.
The party accused the government of handling the situation with “deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion” instead of providing clear communication on a matter requiring transparency.
“It is worth noting that nearly all the service chiefs removed were appointed only 28 months ago, with the current Chief of Defence Staff himself appointed just a year ago as Chief of Army Staff,” the ADC said.
The party stressed that such major changes carry serious implications for military stability and could not have been taken without compelling reasons.
“The Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened,” Abdullahi added.
The ADC maintained that its concern was rooted in the stability of the nation and its democracy, particularly in light of recent political unrest in neighbouring Chad and other Sahel countries.
“Without prejudice to what might have happened in recent weeks, it is obvious that the Tinubu administration is distracted. Insecurity continues to spread, with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country while bandits reign supreme in others. Yet, this does not appear to be the reason for changing the service chiefs,” the statement continued.
The party further alleged that the administration seemed more focused on “regime politics rather than securing the lives of Nigerians.”
According to the ADC, the near-total overhaul of the military’s top hierarchy could fuel more rumours and conspiracy theories, warning that the government must handle the matter with transparency.
“We therefore reiterate our position that the Federal Government must address the issue openly and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat,” the statement concluded.
