The Presidency on Sunday slammed
some groups of citizens for advocating restructuring of Nigeria through violent
change and social unrest.
The President’s Senior Special
Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, raised the alarm while
reacting to a statement credited to a former Chief of Defence Staff, retired
Gen. Alexander Ogomudia, who submitted that, ‘Nigeria may be restructured
violently.’
According to him, the greatest
threat facing Nigeria as a geo-political entity comes from those mindsets and
entities rooted in the idea of violence as a means to change.
The presidential aide stated
that, ”this vituperation, coming from a former military Chief speaks volumes
about the mindset of groups of citizens who have yet to accept democracy as a
form of government.
”It is very important to stress
that we as a nation, are a constitutional democracy and changes to the country
in structure, its systems, policy and politics must abide by the norms of
democracy, otherwise they would be extrajudicial and therefore
unconstitutional.
”This system has subsisted,
uninterrupted, for upward of 20 years and still going, and the country’s law
courts, with its armed forces are primed at all times to defend it using all
means that are lawful.
”The biggest challenge to the
country today is not necessarily from perceived regional or state imbalances or
conflicts between the government at the centre and states but from the mindsets
and entities rooted in the idea of violence as a means to change.
”Such individuals, groups and
entities peddling ideologies of violence and hate are closed to the notion of
healthy dialogue through popular platforms including elected parliaments, hence
only open to violence and destruction as their means.”
He, however, maintained that the
Buhari administration would continue to promote the virtues of democratic
principles to counter ”the growing calls for violence as a means to change” in
the country.
He said: ”This administration
under President Muhammadu Buhari is strongly of the view that democracy that is
self-correcting under the laws as we have is the answer to growing calls for
violence and a means to change in the structure, form and content of the union
that binds us as one country.”
Shehu also dismissed the
assertion that nothing had been done by the Buhari administration on the
unfortunate gruesome murder of retired Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, a former
Chief of Defence Staff.
”Equally important is to deny the
General’s assertion that nothing had been done on the unfortunate gruesome
murder of Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, a former Chief of Defence Staff.
”Truth is, the investigation
instituted by General Olonisakin, the current Chief of Defence Staff, has led
to the arrest of 14 suspects based on their alleged involvement in a report
that has been sent to the police and the Nigeria Air Force for further action,”
he added.
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