Nigeria’s opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to explain the sudden replacement of the country’s service chiefs, describing the move as “abrupt and worrisome.”
President Tinubu on Friday approved sweeping changes across the armed forces, replacing nearly all the country’s top military commanders.
In a statement, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, said while the President has the constitutional power to appoint or remove service chiefs, the timing of the reshuffle had stirred public anxiety, particularly against the backdrop of rumours about an alleged coup plot.
Abdullahi accused the government of sending “mixed signals” in its handling of the situation, saying:
“We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of the government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity.”
He noted that several of the outgoing service chiefs had been in office for less than two and a half years, while the Chief of Defence Staff had served only one year as Chief of Army Staff before being promoted.
“This kind of decision has serious and far-reaching implications for stability within the ranks,” Abdullahi said. “It could not have been taken without strong reasons.”
The ADC spokesperson urged the federal government to provide Nigerians with a clear explanation to dispel uncertainty and maintain public trust.
“As an opposition political party, our interest remains the stability of our country and our democracy,” he added.
Abdullahi also expressed concern over recent political instability in neighbouring Chad and across the Sahel region, warning that Nigeria “cannot afford any form of instability within its armed forces.”
The presidency has yet to issue a detailed statement addressing the reasons behind the shake-up.