The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described as a welcomed development the admonishment given by President Muhammadu Buhari to security agencies to be saddled with various support services in next year’s general election to maintain a high sense of professionalism and remain impartial in the discharge of their duties.
Recall that Buhari gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja at the inauguration of a newly acquired estate by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Idu-Karmo, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), revealed that a compromise of the democratic process could also damage Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
He said: “I have made it very clear to the security agencies that they have a responsibility to remain apolitical at all times. Under no circumstances should they get involved in anything that could compromise the democratic process, or bring disrepute to their institutions and to Nigeria.”
Reacting to the President’s admonishment, the opposition coalition in a statement by its spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, recalled that President Buhari had spent the past months reiterating his resolve to peacefully handover of power to his successor in 2023.
According to CUPP, the recent admonishment by Buhari to security agencies may not be unconnected to the failed move by the Department of Security Services (DSS) to frame the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, of terrorism, and the plan by some unscrupulous politicians to sack the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and prevent the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the 2023 general election.
The statement reads, “There has been ongoing crisis and counter accusations of security agencies involvement in plots to derail the President CBN backed policies. Despite the fact that Buhari has openly said he gave the CBN Governor go ahead on such policies, politicians, using security agencies such as the DSS are still trying to cause problems in their selfish bid to rig the elections.
“This statement by the president is believed to be an indirect message to security agencies and their political sponsors, to desist from any act that will undermine the CBN and INEC moves for credible elections and rather work towards stability and peaceful transition of power come May, 2023.”
