Military speaks on calls for interim national government

* Says call is unconstitutional

By Jon Egie with Agency Report

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has described the call for interim national government by some persons in the country as unfortunate and unconstitutional.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Musa Danmadami, said this while addressing journalists at the bi-weekly briefing on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Danmadami, a major general, said that those calling for an interim government were just trying to be mischievous, adding that the constitution did not provide for an interim national government.

“On the issue of interim government, it is rather unfortunate. An election has been conducted and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that is mandated has announced a president elect.

“It is not our responsibility to speak on that issue but I know that several calls have been made from the Presidency that there is nothing like an interim national government.

“So I think people were just trying to be mischievous. It is unconstitutional and all of us know that.

“The constitution does not provide for an interim national government and that is the point the Presidency has been hammering on and that is our stand.

“It is unconstitutional so anything unconstitutional as far as I am concerned is not applicable,” he said.

The State Security Service (SSS), in a statement last week, said some key players were plotting an interim government for the country, describing it as an aberration and mischievous.

The statement came amid calls by some politicians for an interim government, which if successfully pushed, will prevent the inauguration of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, on 29 May.

Candidates of some Opposition parties, including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) are currently challenging Mr Tinubu’s victory at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

Mr Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 25 February election, polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku, who polled 6,984,520 votes and Mr Obi, who got 6,101,533 votes.

Sources:

(NAN)

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