The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concern over President Bola Tinubu’s sudden replacement of Nigeria’s service chiefs, saying the move has fuelled anxiety amid rumours of an attempted coup.
The opposition party said while the president, as commander-in-chief, has the power to make such changes, the abrupt timing and lack of clarity surrounding the decision were troubling.
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC’s national publicity secretary, said this in a statement issued on Friday.
Abdullahi noted that nearly all the affected service chiefs were appointed just 28 months ago, with the current Chief of Defence Staff himself appointed only a year ago as Chief of Army Staff.
“We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity,” he said.
He added that the decision carried “serious and far-reaching implications” for stability within the military hierarchy and could not have been made without strong reasons.
“The federal government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened,” he said.
The ADC said its concern was driven by the need to protect Nigeria’s democracy and ensure stability within the armed forces, particularly in light of recent political unrest in neighbouring Chad and other Sahel states.
The party accused the Tinubu administration of being distracted, alleging that insecurity was worsening across the country while the government’s focus remained on politics.
“Insecurity continues to spread with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in other parts,” Abdullahi said.
He warned that the sweeping change in the military hierarchy could deepen speculation and promote conspiracy theories.
“The federal government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat,” Abdullahi said.
