The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to provide Nigerians with a clear explanation regarding the recent removal of the country’s service chiefs, saying the sudden decision has raised serious concerns about transparency and national stability.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC stated that although the President holds the constitutional right to appoint and dismiss service chiefs, the timing of the changes, especially amid widespread speculation about an attempted coup, calls for openness and reassurance from the government. “We acknowledge that the President reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit. However, we are concerned that this reshuffle is coming amid widespread rumours of an attempted coup,” the party said.
The opposition party also criticised the government’s reaction to the rumours surrounding the shake-up, accusing it of sending conflicting signals instead of providing clarity. “The reactions of government to this dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity,” Abdullahi added.
According to the ADC, many of the officers affected by the shake-up had only recently been appointed, with some serving for barely two years, while the Chief of Defence Staff had been in his previous position for just a year. The party said such major changes could not have been made without deep underlying reasons. “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,” the statement noted.
The party further expressed concern about the state of insecurity in the country, accusing the Tinubu administration of being distracted from its core responsibility of protecting lives and property. “Insecurity continues to spread, with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in others. Yet this change in service chiefs does not appear to address the real issues at hand,” the ADC stated.
While warning that the abrupt military shake-up might intensify public anxiety and fuel conspiracy theories, the ADC called on the Federal Government to act transparently and reassure Nigerians that the nation’s democracy remains stable. “We therefore reiterate our position that the government must address this issue openly and assure citizens that our democracy is not under threat,” the party concluded.
