Youths under the aegis of the Emerging Leaders Forum (ELFON), Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) and Nigerian Students Parliament (NSP) have have dissociated themselves from the planned protests seeking the removal of Service Chiefs.
The groups revealed that they made the decision as “part of our patriotic duty to salvage our country from unnecessary political tension”. They also went further to reveal that the protest is being sponsored by politically motivated individuals. Hence, they are dissociating themselves from the protest originally planned to take place on Thursday, 20th February.
The youths who spoke at a joint press conference in Abuja on Wednesday night threw their weight behind President Mohammadu Buhari who they say has the prerogative to hire and fire service chiefs and should not be cajoled by few politically motivated individuals.
The youth groups believe that the call for protest for the removal of the service chiefs are not done in the ‘best interest of the nation’.
Read the full press statement below.
“A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED AT A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE HELD AT AGURA HOTEL, ABUJA ON WEDNESDAY, 19TH FEBRUARY 2020 BY EMERGING LEADERS FORUM OF NIGERIA (ELFON), YOUTH ASSEMBLY OF NIGERIA(YAN) AND THE NIGERIAN STUDENTS PARLIAMENT (NSP).
“We the members of the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON), Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) and Nigerian Students Parliament (NSP) deem it necessary to call for this press conference as part of our Patriotic duty to salvage our country from unnecessary political tension, interference and politicisation of security. We are indeed aware that our dear Nation is bedeviled by numerous security challenges same way we are also aware of the spirited efforts by the military, police and other security agencies to deal with the security threats.
“However, the call for protest against the service chiefs, the call for the sack of service chiefs is not done in the best interest of Nigeria. It is the highest form of politicisation and stultification of security in Nigeria and we can never be part of such act of insurgency.
“Despite the recent setbacks in the war on Boko Haram terrorism, it is pertinent to know that there are obvious achievements recorded under the current military leadership. The service chiefs have done a lot to stabilize our democracy and security which are needed for the development of Nigeria. They work selflessly to degrade Boko Haram insurgents in the face of obvious constraints of modern equipment and finance.
“We are also aware that the appointment and sacking of service chiefs is the sole prerogative of the president and commander in chief of the Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and so nobody can push Mr. President into sacking the service chiefs as their removal is entirely the Mr. Presidents responsibility.
“Fellow Nigerian Youths, Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, on the basis of the above concerns, we the members of the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria, Youth Assembly of Nigeria and Nigerian Students Parliament hereby openly and strongly disassociate ourselves with the planned protest for the removal of the heads of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and we urge all Nigerians to resist the misadventure which is the politically induced request for the removal of service chiefs.
“We urge all Nigerian Youths and Nigerians in general to support and rally round Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari and the leaders of the Armed Forces of our great country to hasten the total defeat of the insurgents, terrorists and bandits in our country.
“We say NO to political interference on security matters. We equally say NO to any form of protest against the military leadership in Nigeria.
God bless Nigeria.”
