Mutiny: PDP Berates APC for Poliiticising Military Operations

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Nigeria 2015 Election Thursday, December 25th, 2014

Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja – The Peoples Democratic Party has called on the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, to stop inciting statements capable of leading to disaffection within the rank and file of the military.

The party gave the warning in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

PDP warns against politicising matters of Army discipline, noting that such are wholly the business of military authorities.

The party said that the warning became necessary following a statement credited to the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, concerning the death sentence passed on some soldiers by a military panel over the offence of mutiny.

Governor Amaechi, was reported to have said that Nigeria needs a strong-willed person to fight insurgency.

Reacting to Amaechi alleged inciting statement, Metuh stated that politicians should refrain from commenting on issues of military discipline, its command and control procedures during this campaign period or even after.

Metuh warned of the dire consequences of politicising issues pertaining to the country’s Armed Forces.

He said: “We will not join anyone or political party in the unpatriotic act of trying to subordinate national interest to any politically and selfishly motivated interest.

“It is in the light of this that we view the statement credited to the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as not being in the overall interest of the military and the nation.

“We call on Nigerians to condemn the dishonourable tactic of the opposition desirous to gain contemptible political capital by dragging the internal affairs of the military into the arena of politics.”

Metuh lauded the Nigerian Armed forces for its steadfast and committment in the defence of the nation’s integrity.

His words: “One of the major visions of the founding fathers of the PDP, which its leadership has successfully fulfilled, is the return of professionalism to the military and the re-channeling of its efforts to squarely face its constitutional roles.

“Nigeria’s democracy and the people have been beneficiaries of this insulation of our armed forces from politics.

“This painstaking process, in which we have been involved, has been responsible for the rebuilding and re-equipping of the military to confront the current security challenges”.