The Nigerian Army has made it clear that its men and officers across the country have no interest in taking over the democratically elected government of the country, either now or in future.
“The Nigerian Military has come of age and is in tune with best international military practices of complete and total subordination to democratic governance. The present crop of personnel in the Armed Forces of Nigeria right from the Service Chiefs to the men; are made up of the balance of re-professionalized officers and fresh intakes from 1999, who do not nurse political ambitions. They are fully committed to their oaths of allegiance to serve their fatherland Nigeria, with total submission to our democratic government.”
In a statement today, Thursday, by the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General J. A Agim, the Nigerian Army said that any suggestion to the fact that its men and officers are still eying the political governance of the country, “is derogatory to the Army.”
The statement was in reaction to a comment by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu yesterday, Wednesday, during which time he was quoted as saying: “The Problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over? Let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue,”
The Army said that this statement by the Deputy Senate President might appear cautionary and sincere in the atmosphere of discourse but that “it is however derogatory to the Army used in the expression and by extension to the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“The statement in the true sense has the capacity to denigrate the Nigerian Military in every ramification, including its loyalty to the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the confidence of the general public to defend Nigeria’s democracy.
“In this regard, it is worthy to remind the general public about some key measures among others that guaranteed the present sustainable status of politically un-ambitious members of the Armed Forces:
“a. Shortly, after the transition from a military to a democratically elected government in 1999, officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, who were quasi-political, were honourably eased out of service. This was done to avoid indoctrination of other officers in the Military in order to enable the democratic government commence a re-professionalization process of the Armed Forces. The process commenced in collaboration with international organizations such as the United States Armed Forces and the British Military. By 2009, from the basic military training institutions through units and formation reorientation programmes to top management workshops and seminars for the military, it became clear that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has been re-professionalized to be totally subordinate to political leadership and democracy in the Country.
“b. In addition, the Nigerian Military began to take the lead at ensuring that the West African Sub Region is stable democratically through military diplomacy and physical actions where it is highly desirable and supported by ECOWAS. The case of the Gambia last year is still fresh in our memories, where democracy was enforced by an ECOWAS Military Coalition led by the Armed Forces of Nigeria, under the focused and able leadership of Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General A. G Olonisakin (NAM).”
“Defence Headquarters hereby assures the international community, Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the general public, of its unalloyed loyalty to the President Commander in Chief, provision of all necessary support for the sustenance of our democracy and carrying out our constitutional roles. Therefore, the apprehension by the Deputy President of the Senate should be totally disregarded.” [myad]
