The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed confidence that the new service chiefs will consolidate on the remarkable achievements of their predecessors in keeping the country safe and peaceful.
President Muhammadu Buhari had Tuesday sacked the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
He replaced them with Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
The National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, in a statement issued Tuesday, said the ruling party welcomes the appointment of new service chiefs following the resignation and retirement of the outgoing service chiefs.
He said, “We are confident that the new service chiefs will consolidate on the remarkable achievements of their predecessors in keeping the country safe and peaceful.”
Akpaudoedehe called on the public to support the new Service Chiefs as they perform their constitutional roles of protecting the country’s territorial integrity and tackling emerging security threats.
The ruling party also urged increased synergy among the armed forces in achieving these tasks.
Akpaudoedehe noted that recent incidents in the country had triggered quite divisive rhetoric in some quarters.
He added: “It is counterproductive and dangerous to national security when we put ethnic spins to issues affecting us. In tackling security threats, we should criminalise crime, not ethnicity.”
The APC Secretary said as a nation, the country’s strength remains in its diversity, while stressing the need to continue to forge unity in diversity.
The party therefore urged peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding among Nigerians, irrespective of the part of the country they chose to live and work.
