Don’t copy Gabon military, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth warns Nigerian Army
By Mazi Damian Okafor
(National Youth Leader Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide)
August 31, 2023
The Youth Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has advised the Nigerian military not to emulate the Gabonese army that on Wednesday overthrew President Ali Bongo in a bloodless coup d’état.
The National Youth Leader, Mazi Damian Okafor, gave the advice in a statement on Wednesday.
“While we frown upon the sit-tight syndrome adopted by the Bongo family in Gabon and some African countries, we strongly condemn this military coup. Ohanaeze advises the Nigerian Army to remain apolitical and to resist the temptation to emulate the Gabonese army by staging any coup in Nigeria.
“Any Nigerian soldier who contemplates coup in the present dispensation is doing so for selfish reasons. It is noteworthy that the Nigerian political firmament is absolutely different from that of Gabon where the Bongo dynasty has been in power for more than 50 years.
“A military coup against the current Southern ticket will be interpreted as a direct attack on the Southerners in the country in view of the deep ethnic sentiment which pervaded the controversy surrounding the Southern ticket already challenged by Northerners.
“Any military coup in Nigeria now will carry an ethnic taint. Nigeria has not recovered from the one-sided anti-North coup of 15th January, 1966 staged by Igbo soldiers and the vengeful counter-coup of July 1966 staged mainly by soldiers of Northern extraction,” Mazi Said.
He said the Nigerian Army is a well trained and highly professional fighting machine and Nigerians are proud of them.
The Ohanaeze boss noted that the Nigerian army’s hands are already full with engagements with Boko Haram, insurgents and other security threats, thus cannot afford to add political intervention to its challenges.
Don’t copy Gabon military, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth warns Nigerian Army
By Mazi Damian Okafor
(National Youth Leader Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide)
August 31, 2023
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