By Hamilton Nwosa(Head, The New Diplomat’s Business and data tracking desk)
The Presidency has responded to a resolution of the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs, insisting that it will not be railroaded into carrying out action that it does not consider to be in the best interest of the nation.
This is more so as it is describing the intervention of the lawmakers on the subject as a constitutional aberration, maintaining that the appointment or sack of service chiefs was absolutely a prerogative of the President.
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A statement by the President’s Media Adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina noted that the presidency had noted the resolution, but also demurred on the core of its prayers, affirming that the President would only do what he considered to be in the interest of the country.
According to Adesina: “The Senate Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.
“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”
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The performance of the service chiefs has been an issue of frenetic public debate over the months, given the continuing incidents of security breaches related to the Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen and communal conflicts and kidnapping and armed robbery.
Adesina said: “The Senate Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.
“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”
