DHQ: Interim Govt Plot Unconstitutional, Mischievous, Illegal

*It’s an aberration, treasonable, Says Nnamani

*Military authority links cash availability to resurgence in kidnapping 

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, described the alleged plot by some politicians to  install an interim national government in the country as “mischievous, illegal and unconstitutional.”

This is as a former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, has  berated  the proponents of Interim National Government, describing it as treasonable and an  affront to the sensibility of Nigerians.

In another breath, the DHQ has linked the recent spike in kidnapping in some parts of the country to the reflow of cash into the financial system.
However, on the push for interim government, the military high command has said the military as a reputable institution would not support illegality and would act in accordance with the constitution of the country.

At a media briefing in Abuja, Director, Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Musa Danmadami, said the call by some aggrieved persons in the country for an interim government after the just concluded general election was abhorrent.
Danmadami, who said elections were held, concluded and a new president elected, described those calling for an interim government as “mischievous and nothing more.”

Briefing the media on military operations conducted in the last two weeks across the country, he said such calls remained unconstitutional.
“On the issue of the interim national government, I don’t know why people are bringing up this issue. It is rather unfortunate. The election has been conducted and INEC, who is mandated has announced the 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 are just trying to be mischievous. It is unconstitutional and all of us know about it,” he said.
He affirmed that “the constitution does not provide for an interim national government and that is the point that the presidency has been hammering and so that is the stand. It is not our stand, because that is what the constitution says. It is unconstitutional. So, anything that is unconstitutional as far as I am concerned, is not applicable.”

On his part, Nnamani, the Senator for Enugu East, in a statement in Abuja, stated that the ING remained an absurdity and had no place in the modern day democratic rule, adding that those behind the plot were enemies of Nigeria.
“The presidential election has been conducted and a winner has been declared. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2023.  ING is a needless distraction.

“Asiwaju will be sworn in on May 29, 2023 and he will hit the ground running. He will not deviate from his avowed commitment to the programmes of social protection, national transformation and  restructuring,” parts of the statement read.
He expressed optimism that a Tinubu led administration would address critical infrastructure development, youth unemployment, give priority to budget enhancements needed to address complex issues in the health,  education, social service sectors, including potable drinking water and environmental sanitation.

Nnamani, who also said Tinubu’s administration would rejuvenate International recognitions and awareness that would attract other nations to invest in Nigeria and consequently, turn the nation’s economy around, therefore, enjoined Nigerians across the divide to support the incoming administration, which he hoped would be a government of national unity, where no section of Nigeria would be marginalised or shortchanged in the scheme of things.
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has said the recent spike in kidnapping in some parts of the country, was occasioned by the resurgence of cash flow in the financial system.
Two students of the Federal University, Gusau, were kidnapped last weekend at an off campus while Kaduna State government confirmed that 10 students from Government Day Secondary School in Awon, Kachia Local Government Area of the state were abducted.
But the security agencies had since launched a manhunt for the criminals.
Danmadami said the reflow of cash in the system had sparked a flurry of kidnapping activities, and that the “cash squeeze” led to a lull  in kidnapping as the non-availability of cash in the system made the business unattractive.
He said the military was, however, working round the clock to contain terrorism.
“We are faced with the problem. We are not resting. The military is not resting on its oars. The military is still working round the clock to ensure security in the country,” he said even as he sought the cooperation of the populace in arresting the trend.