2023: Opposition, Military Officers deploy $1m to lobby for appointments- CSO alleges

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

A Civil Society Organisation, Center for Security and Good Governance (CSO) has raised the alarm over what it describes as desperate and unpatriotic conduct by some officers in the Nigerian military and some members of the opposition.

According to the CSO, intense efforts are on to influence and secure the removal of the current Service and Intelligence Chiefs to replace them with their stooges ahead of the 2023 elections.

In a press statement signed by spokesman of the Centre, Comrade Musa Saleh Malumfashi and made available to journalists in Abuja over the weekend, the group decried the nefarious acts of some unpatriotic Nigerians who are bent on destabilising the security apparatus of the country for their personal gains. Adding that this will negatively affect the war against terror that has received a boost with the coordinated actions of the current Service and Intelligence Chiefs.

“It has come to our notice that certain greedy and unpatriotic elements in the military are scheming and plotting the sack of the Service and Intelligence Chiefs to be replaced by their stooges so that they can feast on the security votes during elections and partake in the rigging of elections for the highest bidders. This must not be allowed to happen as it will amount to truncating our nascent democracy and draw us back on the war against terrorism, insurgency and banditry”, the statement noted.

The CSO further alleged that the dangerous move is being orchestrated by cabals inside the Presidency who are negotiating, lobbying as well as encouraging the officers.

Moreso, the statement noted that the cabals are boldly bragging about their role in the sack of the immediate past Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) stressing that millions of dollars have exchanged hands already.

“The cabals in the Presidential villa are the ones fronting for and negotiating on behalf of these corrupt officers. They are already boasting that they are instrumental to the removal of the NYSC DG. We have it on record that some opposition politicians are the brains behind this hatched job. Already more than $1 million dollars have gone into this barbaric scheme”, the statement added.

The CSO while calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to beam his torchlight on some officers that have exhibited the tendencies of inordinate ambition and greed also hinted of plot to carryout mass retirement in the Army.

“We call on Mr. President to do everything within his power to sanitise the military, especially the senior officers who are frolicking with politicians. They portend danger to our nascent democracy and must be either retired or summarily dismissed. There should be no room for enemies of our State to infiltrate our ranks and cause collateral damage to our national security and democracy.

“Another danger is the plan by the cabal to persuade the army top brass to retire members of some courses, a situation if allowed to happen will cause a major set back in the fight against insurgency”, statement concluded.