…Says military will never be part of plot to truncate democracy
The Nigerian military on Saturday debunked a report of an alleged meeting between some unnamed senior military officers and the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at an undisclosed location in Abuja.
The military high command also dismissed reports of plot by some military officers to disrupt the forthcoming general elections.
Blueprint reports that a former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, in a tweet under Femi Fani-Kayode@realFFK alleged, “There are reports that @atiku had a secret meeting with serving military Generals in Abuja on Thursday.”
But reacting to the allegations, Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau in a press statement in Àbuja weekend, described the allegations as, “wicked and malicious propaganda”.
The defence spokesman added that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was dismayed that even politically exposed persons had denigrated themselves into joining the agents of destabilisation.
He said that the unscrupulous elements claimed that some military officers met with a Presidential candidate with the aim of disrupting the general elections and setting the country on fire.
According to him, the purveyors of the wicked and very malicious propaganda also indicated that a so-called Thursday meeting is plotting a Coup d’etat to establish unconstitutional order.
The Defence spokesman said those who made the false claims were agents of destabilisation and violence seeking to heighten tension in the polity and would be made to face the wrath of the law.
“It needs to be stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a professional military that is loyal to the constitution of the Federal Republic and will never be part of any evil plot against our democracy.
“Besides, the Military remains apolitical and neutral in the current political process and will not engage in the alleged shenanigans.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will never be part of any ignoble plot to truncate our hard-earned democracy,” he said.
Gusau said the military high command would ensure that those who fabricated and spread the unfounded report were invited by appropriate law enforcement agencies to substantiate their claims.
“The general public is advised to disregard such information and go about their normal activities,” he added.
