The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on Tuesday, dismissed allegations of the military undermining Nigeria’s democracy through a coup d’état.
Lagbaja affirmed that democracy is firmly established in Nigeria, emphasizing that the Nigerian Army is committed to upholding the constitution and would not suspend it for any reason.
Amidst reports suggesting military involvement in a plot to overthrow figures like Tinubu amidst the prevailing economic challenges, Lagbaja, while inaugurating the seminar for the Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary in Abuja, stated that elected leaders are responsible for governance, and the military’s role is defined by the constitution.
According to Lagbaja: “Permit me to seize this opportunity to reiterate that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, particularly the Nigerian Army has come to terms with the country’s choice of democracy as the preferred system of governance.
“We are therefore agents of democracy and have no desire to truncate it. The Nigerian Army will continue to defend our constitution and not suspend it for whatever reason.
“It is the duty of our elected leaders to lead while the military does its job as enshrined in our constitution. Nigerian Army personnel must therefore remain professional and be above board as they discharge their constitutional duties.”
