The Presidency has reacted to the demand of the Nigerian Senate, calling on service chiefs to step aside over rising insecurity bedeviling the nation.
In a motion raised by Senator Ali Ndume, yesterday, the recent ambush on soldiers in Kaduna was brought to the notice of the upper legislative chamber. Mr Ndume who described the attack as worrying also spoke on the alleged voluntarily resignation of about 300 soldiers from the military.
In reaction to his motion, the red chamber called on service chiefs to either resign or be sacked. The call was led by Senator Francis Fadahunsi.
The Senate also observed a minute’s silence in honour of the fallen heroes and urged the Federal Government to urgently intensify the provision of modern equipment to enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces.
It also mandated its Joint Committees on Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Defence, and Interior to receive briefings on the state of affairs of the services in this regard; and
Reacting to the call, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, in a statement, said it was the sole responsibility of his principal to remove the service chiefs at will as no one can compel him to do so.
Mr Adesina said the president will do what is best for the country.
“The Senate Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country,” he said in the Tuesday statement.
“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times,” he added.
This is not the first time it will be asking for the removal of the service chiefs, no ears was paid to an earlier similar demand made early this year by members of the National Assembly.
