2023 elections: Military reacts to ‘Atiku meeting, coup plot’

Armed Forces of Nigeria, on Saturday, condemned the allegation that some of its officers met with a presidential candidate over the 2023 election.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, had alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and top military personnel had a meeting.

But Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, denied that the military was involved in any plan to disrupt the forthcoming general elections.

He said the “wicked and very malicious propaganda indicated that a so-called Thursday meeting plotted a Coup d’etat to establish unconstitutional order”.

The military expressed dismay that “politically exposed persons can denigrate themselves into joining agents of destabilisation and violence in making false claims just to heighten tension in the polity”.

The acting DDI stated that the military remains loyal to the constitution of the Federal Republic and will never be part of any evil plot against democracy.

The Armed Forces maintained that it remains apolitical and neutral in the current political process and will not engage in shenanigans.

The statement added, “Those who engage in fabricating and spreading unfounded misinformation will be invited by the appropriate law enforcement agencies to substantiate their claims.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will never be part of any ignoble plot to truncate our hard-earned democracy.”