The Chief Of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on Tuesday downplayed reports of the military truncating Nigeria’s democracy through a coup d’etat.
Lagbaja said democracy has come to stay in Nigeria, stressing that the Nigerian Army would continue to defend the constitution and not suspend it for whatever reason.
There has been reports of the military plotting to overthrow Tinubu in the wake of the current economic hardship in the country.
However, speaking while declaring open the seminar of the Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary, holding in Abuja, the COAS said it’s the duty of elected leaders to lead while the military does its job as enshrined in 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.”