The Conference of Civil Society for Peace, Security and National Development has taken a swipe at the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) for calling for sack of the nation’s service chiefs describing it as a bunch of political jobbers.
Recall that CUPP had issued a statement on Tuesday signed by its spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, saying it has instituted a law suit at the Federal High Court seeking among other things a declaration that the Service Chiefs having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of service in the Nigerian Armed Forces cannot lawfully have their services extended by the President or continue to perform any duty pertaining to their respective offices in the Armed Forces of the Federation amongst other demands.
But the CSOs in a statement issued on Wednesday signed by its conveners, by Comr. Mike Msuaan and Mallam Adamu Kabir Matazu, described CUPPS as bunch of political jobbers seeking crumbs from political opponents of the President Muhammadu buhari’s administration.
The CSOs maintained that there has been significant progress made in the war against insurgency, banditry kidnapping and other forms of criminalities in the country but regretted that enemies of the country have vowed to distract the administration to score cheap political points using the likes of CUPPS, SaharaReporters amongst others.
The rights group responding to the threat by CUPPS to mobilise for a nationwide protest within 30 days should the President fail to sack the service chiefs and guarantee security of lives and property said it was a huge joke that would be resisted by the CSOs and citizens in general.
“The civil society organisations most of whom have done detailed assessment of security situation in the country and the efforts of the current service chiefs know exactly where we were and where we are at the moment. Although, it is not yet uhuru, significant successes have been achieved and this we shall continue to engage the citizens on the need to support our military.
“It is embarrassing to say the least that the coalition of supposedly opposition political parties could be ignorant to the point of asking the Court to compel the President to sack the service chiefs or anyone on the account of attaining retirement age. Elementary understanding of government should avail to CUPPS and its cohort that the President reserves the right to extend the tenure of anyone.
“Reading through the statement of CUPPS points clearly that they were paid to discredit the service chiefs and the Presidency in general as it kept repeating one item over and over to earn their pay. It is either asking the court to compel the President to sack the service chiefs or asking the court to compel the service chiefs from performing their duties forgetting that appointment and sack is prerogative of the President.
“We find it disturbing that the group which claim to have been driven by patriotism to approach the court have never found it expedient to stand in solidarity with the troops at any point in time since 2015 when the entire nation was on the verge of been over thrown by insurgents and other violent criminals. Suddenly, because the CUPPS and their cohorts have received their pay check, they have now found reason to be patriotic”, the CSOs averred.
