The African Democratic Congress has expressed concern over President Bola Tinubu’s abrupt replacement of Nigeria’s service chiefs, saying the move has heightened public anxiety amid circulating rumours of an attempted coup.
The opposition party acknowledged that while the president, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has the constitutional authority to make such appointments, the sudden nature and lack of clear explanation surrounding the changes were worrisome.
ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known in a statement issued on Friday.
Abdullahi observed that most of the affected service chiefs were appointed only 28 months ago, while the current Chief of Defence Staff had himself been appointed just a year earlier as Chief of Army Staff.
“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,” he said.
He further stated that the president’s decision carried “serious and far-reaching implications” for the stability of the military hierarchy, stressing that such a move could not have been taken without compelling reasons.
“The federal government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened,” Abdullahi added.
The ADC explained that its concern stemmed from a commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy and maintaining stability within the armed forces, particularly against the backdrop of recent political unrest in neighbouring Chad and other Sahel countries.
The party also accused the Tinubu administration of losing focus, alleging that insecurity continued to escalate across the nation while the government remained preoccupied with political manoeuvres.
“Insecurity continues to spread with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in other parts,” Abdullahi said.
He cautioned that the sweeping shake-up within the military could further fuel speculation and feed conspiracy theories among citizens.
“The federal government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat,” Abdullahi concluded.
