Elections: Military reassures Nigerians of impartiality...

The Defence Headquarters has assured Nigerians that the military and its personnel would be impartial in the discharge of their constitutional security responsibilities during the general elections.

Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade, said in an electronic mail on Wednesday that the military remained committed to its constitutional role of securing the country before, during and after the elections.

Olukolade said the leaders of the military, who are also beneficiaries of the democratic governance, would not do anything to subvert it.



He also said the military would ensure strict adherence to professionalism and would remain non-partisan in its operations during the elections.

Olukolade said that the assurance became necessary in view of the tension generated by the role of the military in the on-going political process.

In his mail, the defence spokesman said, “The Defence Headquarters has noted the palpable tension being generated in certain quarters with regards to the roles of the Nigerian military in the on-going political activities and recent developments, especially in relation to the electioneering programmes in the country.

“Accordingly, it has become necessary to reassure all citizens that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain committed to its duty in working to ensure the sustenance of peace, law, order and stability in the country before, during and after the forthcoming elections.

“It is also important to reassure Nigerians that the military will, while working with all security agencies and stakeholders in the process, remain professional, apolitical and non-partisan in all operations or activities related to this crucial exercise.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria is quite conscious of the fact that apart from its primary constitutional role of defending the country from external aggression and internal insurrection, it also has the responsibility of providing support in aid of civil authority such as the need to provide complementary security arrangement to protect our electoral process.

“It is on record that the military has successfully lived up to its responsibility while discharging this duty during previous elections without equivocation.”

He said that all military personnel had been warned to be conscious of their oaths of office to ensure the protection of the Constitution and to be loyal to constituted authorities in the country.

The Defence spokesman added that the military leadership would not accept any excuse for compromising the law or the Electoral Act in the forthcoming elections.