The Nigerian Army has dismissed a report that some of its senior officers were partisan during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls.
The report circulating in some media sections had claimed that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, conspired with a military General who ordered the deployment of troops to some locations in Lagos State for the election to be rigged in favour of the Labour Party.
In a swift reaction on Monday, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said some interest groups that the service prevented from influencing the elections through violence were behind the report.
It partly read, “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a deliberately calculated smear campaign in the social media and other fora against some of our senior commanders and officers. While these unconscionable acts are inexplicable, the motivations behind them are not far-fetched.
“In the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections, officers and men of the Nigerian Army adopted a firm and resolute stance in providing security support for the elections in a manner that effectively curbed and prevented ill-intentioned groups from violently interfering with the process. There is no doubt that Nigerians are excited about this responsible posture and the democratic opportunity it offers them.
“However, some interest groups that were effectively prevented from hatching their nefarious plots to influence the course of the elections through violence are understandably piqued by this assertiveness of the Nigerian Army.”
Onyema added that the service would continue to play its roles during elections as required by the constitution.
