The UK warned against soldiers carrying out a coup in Nigeria
- This followed a warning by the chief of army staff warning soldiers
not to mix with politicians
- The UK government said it would
not support an undemocratic change of government
The UK government has warned against the planning or execution of a coup
in Nigeria by soldiers as a way of changing government insisting it will not
support such undemocratic process.
There was concern that some soldiers were being approached by
politicians on how to carry out a coup and this concern as strengthened by
Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai’s warning to soldiers not to mix with
politicians.
The army chief warned all officers and soldiers interested in politics
to resign their commission or apply for voluntary discharge forthwith.
“Any officer or soldier of Nigerian Army found to be hobnobbing with
such elements or engaged in unprofessional conducts such as politicking would
have himself or herself to blame.”
The Punch reports that the UK in its reaction warned against a military
change of government insisting democratic processes should be the only method
of selecting leaders.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, spoke on
Wednesday, May 18 saying leadership must be about choices.
He said: “The British Government believes that democracy is absolutely
critical in Nigeria. There is a democratic process here; there are elections.
If you are not happy with your leaders, then you should change your leadership
process through your leaders and through elections.
“That is exactly what happened in
2015 and it is what the British Government will expect to happen in Nigeria.
So, our position is very clear; we stand for democracy, we stand for the
democratic process and we stand for change, if that is what the people of
Nigeria want.
“It has to be a choice that the people make and not a choice that is
imposed upon them.” Also, the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the People
Democratic Party asked Buratai to name the politicians and soldiers that were
in alliance to overthrow the government.
The party said: “He should come out more openly and tell Nigerians what
is actually happening. What exactly is the nature of the contact politicians
are making with the soldiers? We would like to know the nature of the contact
and who and who are making the contact.
“It is only reasonable that he exposes those involved. What are those
politicians making these contacts asking for? The truth is that as a nation, we
cannot go back to Egypt, because democracy is our Promised Land.”
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