The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, has declared the readiness of the Nigerian military to ensure the peaceful and democratic conduct of the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States.
Musa made this commitment during the visit of the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
He also emphasized that the military would not tolerate intimidation or violence during the elections in the three states.
According to him, efforts had been put in place to maintain peace and security before, during, and after the electoral exercise.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scheduled the gubernatorial elections in these states for Saturday, November 11, 2023.
While urging all stakeholders to work together to ensure a peaceful, non-violent election, Musa stressed the importance of preventing loss of life due to political participation and encouraged a collaborative approach to achieving free and peaceful elections that reflect the people’s will.
He said, “We are also prepared for the coming elections in the three states of Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states. I want to ensure that the elections go on democratically, without any fear or intimidation.
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“We don’t want any violence. I want to appeal to all stakeholders that it does nobody any good if anybody is killed because we have to go and vote. So it is important that we all put hands on deck. We will make sure that the elections are free and they are peaceful so that the results can also bring out what people want.”
The Chief of Defence Staff also disclosed that the federal government had allocated special funds to treat soldiers injured in various theatres of operations across the country, which would boost troop morale. He expressed gratitude for the improved funding of the armed forces, recognizing the challenges they face due to limited funding.
Gen. Musa urged the Minister of Defence to sign the harmonized terms and conditions of service.
He assured that despite the wave of military coups in West Africa, the Nigerian military remains fully committed to protecting the nation’s democracy.
