The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, yesterday dismissed a story originated from African Confidential speculating the possibility of a coup d’etat in the country, saying the military would defend democracy whatever it takes.
The London-based online medium, in its 13 June, 2014 edition, came out with a story that there was a plan in the offing to replace the Jonathan administration with an interim national government to be headed by Senate president David Mark because of his military background, but Badeh dismissed the story with a wave of the hand.
The CDS made the declaration while receiving the director-general of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri at the Defence Headquarters, in Abuja, for the formal presentation of the Nigerian Centenary Flag to the military, which the CDS ordered its hoisting in all military formations nationwide.
According to him, the military as a professional group “has no option but to love Nigeria” and do those things that would ensure security and protection of lives within the nation.
Air Chief Marshal Badeh, who did not hide his surprise at the rumours of coup, said democracy had come to stay in the country and that the military had no intention of truncating it.
“Why should anyone be thinking in negative fashion? Tell them we will not do it. Those rumouring coups must be living elsewhere and not in Nigeria. The Armed Forces are defenders of democracy. We are an arm of democracy, so how can an arm of democracy work against the democracy that we are part of?”, the CDS asked.
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