Military not interested in political power a�� DHQ

*Faults Ekweremadua��s fear of possible coup
* Pledges loyalty to Buhari, democratic rule
By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
In line with its professional ethics and current global practices, the military has declared that it has no plan to interfere in Nigeriaa��s political leadership.
Besides pledging its loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, the military said on Thursday that it would continue to subordinate itself to the democratic governance in the discharge of its constitutional duties of defending Nigeriaa��s unity and territorial integrity.
The military said that it has been sufficiently indoctrinated and touted on the benefits of democratic rule and has therefore resolved to adhere strictly to its core mandate and support the nationa��s political leaders.
The position of the Armed Forces came on Thursday through the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), which reacted to the poser raised by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, when he asked his colleagues that: a�?Who says the Army cana��t take over?a�?
Ekweremadu had warned that the crises in various parts of the country could precipitate a military takeover of power.
He had said: a�?The Problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says the Army cannot takeover; let us not joke with our democracy.a�?
And reacting Thursday in Abuja, the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. John Agim, in a statement said Ekweremadua��s “comments may appear cautionary and sincere in the atmosphere of discourse, it is however derogatory to the Army used in the expression and by extension to the Armed Forces of Nigeria”.
Agim continued: “The statement in the true sense has the capacity to denigrate the Nigerian military in every ramification including its loyalty to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the confidence of the general public to defend Nigeriaa��s democracy”.
He said that the Nigerian military has come of age and is in tune with best international military practices of complete and total subordination to democratic governance, adding that, “in this regard, it is worthy to remind the general public about some key measures among others that guaranteed the present sustainable status of politically unambitious members of the Armed Forces.
“Shortly, after the transition from a military to a democratically elected government in 1999, officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, who were quasi-political, were honourably eased out of service. This was done to avoid indoctrination of other officers in the military in order to enable the democratic government commence a re-professionalisation process of the Armed Forces.
a�?The process commenced in collaboration with international organisations such as the United States Armed Forces and the British military.
a�?By 2009, from the basic military training institutions through units and formation reorientation programmes to top management workshops and seminars for the military, it became clear that the Armed Forces of Nigeria has been re-professionalised to be totally subordinate to political leadership and democracy in the country.
“In addition, the Nigerian military began to take the lead at ensuring that the West African sub- region is stable democratically through military diplomacy and physical actions where it is highly desirable and supported by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
a�?The case of The Gambia last year is still fresh in our memories, where democracy was enforced by an ECOWAS Military Coalition led by the Armed Forces of Nigeria, under the focused and abled leadership of Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. A.G. Olonisakin.
“Furthermore, the present crop of personnel in the Armed Forces of Nigeria right from the Service Chiefs to the men, are made up of the balance of re-professionalised officers and fresh intakes from 1999, who do not nurse political ambitions.
a�?They are fully committed to their oaths of allegiance to serve their fatherland, with total submission to our democratic government,a�? Agim said
He assured the international community, Nigeriaa��s democratic institutions and the general public, of Militarya��s unalloyed loyalty to the President, assuring that they would continue to provide necessary support for the sustenance of democracy and carrying out their constitutional roles.