The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the
main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to
politicise the Nigerian army.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, a copy obtained by ThisDay.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, a copy obtained by ThisDay.
The warning was propelled by the APC Presidential Campaign
Organisation’s endorsement of soldiers’ right to protest over the
federal government’s failure to adequately equip them in their fight
against Boko Haram insurgency in the North-eastern part of the country.
The PDP said the unhealthy politicisation of matters of army discipline, which are entirely within the purview of military authorities was wrong and cautioned the party against it.
The PDP said the unhealthy politicisation of matters of army discipline, which are entirely within the purview of military authorities was wrong and cautioned the party against it.
Metuh further urged politicians and parties to make comments that encourage discipline and obedience in the army.
“The PDP will refrain from commenting on issues of military discipline, its command and control procedures during this campaign period or even after, as we believe that it is dangerous to politicise issues pertaining to the country’s armed forces. We will not join anyone or political party in the unpatriotic act of trying to subordinate the national interest to any politically and selfishly motivated interest. It is in the light of this that we view the statement credited to the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi as not being in the overall interest of the military and the nation,” he said.
“The PDP will refrain from commenting on issues of military discipline, its command and control procedures during this campaign period or even after, as we believe that it is dangerous to politicise issues pertaining to the country’s armed forces. We will not join anyone or political party in the unpatriotic act of trying to subordinate the national interest to any politically and selfishly motivated interest. It is in the light of this that we view the statement credited to the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi as not being in the overall interest of the military and the nation,” he said.
PDP call on Nigerians to condemn the dishonourable tactic of the
opposition desirous to gain contemptible political capital by dragging
the internal affairs of the military into the arena of politics. The
party recalled that across half a century of our nationhood, the
Nigerian military has remained the major catalyst and the last defence
line in the unity and oneness of the nation.
“This sacred role which it has successfully been playing must be jealously guarded and its integrity not made subject to the vagaries of political interests. One of the major visions of the founding fathers of the PDP, which its leadership has successfully fulfilled, is the return of professionalism to the military and the re-channeling of its efforts to squarely face its constitutional roles,” the party said.
According to the PDP, Nigeria’s democracy and its citizens have been beneficiaries of this insulation of the armed forces from politics, adding that the painstaking process, in which Nigerians have been involved, has been responsible for the rebuilding and re-equipping of the military to confront the current security challenges.
In a related development, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has termed the statement made by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi as a ‘treasonable’ pronouncement.
In a statement issued, the presidential aide, said: “no responsible Nigerian or political organisation for that matter should ever contemplate encouraging or supporting mutiny in the Nigerian Army under any circumstances whatsoever. It is a pity that because of Amaechi’s huge financial commitment to the General Buhari campaign, the presidential candidate of the APC has compromised his personal integrity and enviable military antecedents to endorse such reckless statements issued on his behalf. Chibuike Amaechi is no doubt an unrepentant sociopath whose main preoccupation is to desecrate constituted authority and create chaos and anarchy in the country,” he said.
Okupe further noted that for an election that is yet to be conducted, it is wrong for anybody to shamelessly announce that his party will form a parallel government if it loses in 2015, and called on Nigerians to clearly see the unsuitability of the major personalities that hold sway in the APC for leadership in the country.
“We enjoin all Nigerians to roundly condemn this act of treason against the state in a naked and reckless pursuit of power,” Okupe said.
Meanwhile, the Rivers state government has debunked all the allegations by Tonye Princewill, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, who recently alleged that Governor Amaechi sold state’s assets in the interests of the APC.
“This sacred role which it has successfully been playing must be jealously guarded and its integrity not made subject to the vagaries of political interests. One of the major visions of the founding fathers of the PDP, which its leadership has successfully fulfilled, is the return of professionalism to the military and the re-channeling of its efforts to squarely face its constitutional roles,” the party said.
According to the PDP, Nigeria’s democracy and its citizens have been beneficiaries of this insulation of the armed forces from politics, adding that the painstaking process, in which Nigerians have been involved, has been responsible for the rebuilding and re-equipping of the military to confront the current security challenges.
In a related development, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has termed the statement made by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi as a ‘treasonable’ pronouncement.
In a statement issued, the presidential aide, said: “no responsible Nigerian or political organisation for that matter should ever contemplate encouraging or supporting mutiny in the Nigerian Army under any circumstances whatsoever. It is a pity that because of Amaechi’s huge financial commitment to the General Buhari campaign, the presidential candidate of the APC has compromised his personal integrity and enviable military antecedents to endorse such reckless statements issued on his behalf. Chibuike Amaechi is no doubt an unrepentant sociopath whose main preoccupation is to desecrate constituted authority and create chaos and anarchy in the country,” he said.
Okupe further noted that for an election that is yet to be conducted, it is wrong for anybody to shamelessly announce that his party will form a parallel government if it loses in 2015, and called on Nigerians to clearly see the unsuitability of the major personalities that hold sway in the APC for leadership in the country.
“We enjoin all Nigerians to roundly condemn this act of treason against the state in a naked and reckless pursuit of power,” Okupe said.
Meanwhile, the Rivers state government has debunked all the allegations by Tonye Princewill, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, who recently alleged that Governor Amaechi sold state’s assets in the interests of the APC.
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