The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to clarify the reasons behind the recent dismissal of the Service Chiefs, saying that a lack of explanation amid coup rumours could pose a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said that while it recognises the President’s constitutional authority to appoint and remove Service Chiefs, the timing of the decision has generated curiosity.
The ADC explained that most of the affected officers were appointed less than two years ago, adding that such an important reshuffle could have implications for military stability.
It then urged the Federal Government to provide a clear explanation for the decision, saying that transparency was necessary to dispel speculation.
Furthermore, the party called on the Tinubu administration to address the issue publicly and reassure Nigerians that the country’s democracy remains stable and secure.
ADC said:
"While we acknowledge that the President, as the Commander-in-Chief, reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit, we are somewhat concerned that this change is coming in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup.
"We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity.
"We note that nearly all the Service Chiefs that have been 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.
"We also note that this kind of decision has serious and far-reaching implications for stability within the ranks and therefore could not have been taken without strong reasons.
"It indicates that an opposition political party is interested in the stability of the country and democracy.
"In the light of developments in our neighbourhood of Chad and the Sahel states, we are gravely concerned.
"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 other parts.
"But this is not the reason the government is changing the Service Chiefs. Instead, the administration’s attention appears fully focused on regime politics rather than securing the lives of Nigerians.
"This action of near wholesale change in the leadership of the country’s military, if anything, will only further promote rumours and conspiracy theories.
"We therefore reiterate our earlier position that the Federal Government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat."
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