‘Cooperation btw the three arms govt has helped Nigeria’s democracy to stand firmly’, says Aneke

• As INEC, Air Force agree to partner ahead of forthcoming polls

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal, Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has commended the enduring cooperation among the three arms of government which, according to him, constitutes the tripod upon which the nation’s democracy firmly stands.
Aneke made the commendation on Tuesday during a courtesy call on the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, in his office in Abuja.
The Chief of Air Staff pointed out that the collective commitment of the three arms to upholding the rule of law, constitutional governance, and democratic accountability provides the enabling environment for institutions such as INEC and the Nigerian Air Force to effectively discharge their constitutional mandates.
He commended the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his continued commitment to strengthening democratic institutions in the country.
The Chief of Air Staff expressed the firm confidence that the interaction between INEC and the Air Force
will further strengthen the longstanding partnership between both parties.
According to him, “I would also like to express my appreciation to His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his continued commitment to strengthening democratic institutions in our country.
“I equally commend the enduring cooperation among the three arms of government — the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary — which together constitute the tripod upon which our democracy firmly stands.
“Their collective commitment to upholding the rule of law, constitutional governance, and democratic accountability provides the enabling environment for institutions such as INEC and the Nigerian Air Force to effectively discharge their constitutional mandates”, he said.
The Nigerian Air Force, Aneke assured, remains fully committed to deploying its capabilities in support of a secure electoral environment and the continued consolidation of Nigeria’s democracy.
In the words of the Chief of Air Staff, “The successful conduct of elections is closely tied to effective security arrangements and efficient logistics management.
“Over the years, the Nigerian Air Force has remained a dependable partner to INEC, particularly in providing security support as well as rapid airlift for the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials across the country.
“I wish to assure you that the Nigerian Air Force remains willing, able, and ready to continue providing such support whenever required.
“At present, some of our C-130 aircrafts are undergoing scheduled maintenance outside the country as part of efforts to sustain our strategic airlift capability. “Nevertheless, the Service is making arrangements to deploy other available aircraft that can support the timely movement of electoral materials and personnel”, he said.
In his response, the Chairman of INEC, Prof Amupitan, SAN, pointed out that the commission can effectively work with the air force, and also the other military arms, “so that we have an effective logistic”.
Continuing, the INEC Chairman said, “And so, as part of this collaboration and partnership, we are going to set up a team so that we can work together ahead of time.
“The failure to plan is planning to fail. And for Nigerians, you can see they are looking at this next general election, and they expect the best. “So in terms of everything, in terms of ensuring that the logistic is excellent, and also that the conduct of the election is important, so that it can strike the link between legality and legitimacy, which is what the country desires.
“So, we value the expertise and dedication of the air force in logistic and security operations, which are paramount to our electoral system’s integrity.
“I urge you to please continue to support us as we embark on this very crucial phase of our democratic journey”, he stressed.