FAKE NEWS ALERT: NIGERIAN ARMY DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN ALLEGED PLOT TO DISRUPT ELECTIONS
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The Nigerian Army has refuted a report that claimed senior commanders and officers had conspired against Bola Tinubu, the president-elect and candidate of the All Progressive Congress in the recently concluded Presidential and upcoming governorship elections.
It stated that the force “remains neutral and apolitical in the discharge of its constitutional roles.”
This information was provided in a statement issued on Monday and signed by the director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu.
This was contained in a statement that was made public on Monday and was signed by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director Army Public Relations.
The statement was issued in response to a report on Monday that claimed that some senior and retired officers of the force conspired with Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in order to try to influence the outcome of the March 18 governorship elections.
The statement reads:
The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a deliberately calculated smear campaign in the Social Media and other fora against some of our senior commanders and officers. While these unconscionable acts are inexplicable, the motivation behind them are not far-fetched. In the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, officers and men of the Nigerian Army adopted a firm and resolute stance in providing security support for the Elections in a manner that effectively curbed and prevented ill-intentioned groups from violently interfering with the process. There is no doubt that Nigerians are excited at this responsible posture and the democratic opportunity it offered them. However, some interest groups, that were effectively prevented from hatching their nefarious plots to influence the course of the elections through violence, are understandably piqued by this assertiveness of the Nigerian Army.
As constitutionally conceived, the Nigerian Army is nationalistic in its make-up and organization, drawing strengths from the diversities in our great nation. Our responsibilities, so far as elections are concerned, remain that of providing support to primary law enforcement and stakeholders in the Electioneering process towards ensuring that Nigerians are allowed to choose their leaders and representatives in a peaceful manner. This goal remains our only focus and one we would continue to pursue, mindful that the average citizen expects nothing less from his Army.
The Army Headquarters wishes to assure the public that any misconduct against any of its personnel would be responsibly investigated and any subsequent substantiation would attract the appropriate disciplinary sanctions in accordance with established practices and extant laws. In the same vein, it should equally be appreciated that the character and reputation of a senior officer earned over 3 decades of meritorious service cannot be allowed to be destroyed by misguided elements through mere speculations. The resort to the sentiments of ethnic and religious colourations would not also diminish the Nigerian’s Army resolve to carry on its roles professionally.
The Nigerian Army, therefore, urges all Nigerians to ignore the mischief being propagated by ill-intentioned individuals and groups, and continue to go about their civic responsibilities without any fear of molestation. We would continue to work with sister Services and other Security Agencies to meet all security-related expectations of citizens as enshrined in the laws of the Federation.
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