The presidency has dismissed as “untrue and misleading,” media reports which claimed that President Jonathan said in Yola on Tuesday that he “fired” former service chiefs because of “unhealthy competition” amongst them.
“It appears that for reasons of mischief and reckless sensationalism, a section of the media deliberately chose to misrepresent the President’s innocuous and clear call for greater synergy and inter-service cooperation in the war against terrorism,” presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said.
He said the President Jonathan at no time during his remarks in Yola say that the former chiefs were guilty of undue rivalry, nor did he say that such unhealthy rivalry was responsible for recent security breaches in Adamawa and other parts of the country.
“As Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces and Chief Security Officer of the Federation, President Jonathan is fully aware of the importance and sensitivity of all defence and security-related matters,” Abati declared.
“If he had any reprimand or admonition for the former service chiefs, which he does not, he would not have cavalierly given it at a public function as the media falsely reported.”
He said the President has nothing but praise for the manner in which the outgoing service chiefs did their job in very challenging circumstances and did not in Yola suggest or imply that any wrongdoing, lack of cooperation or unhealthy competition was responsible for the recent changes in the Military High Command.
“Members of the Armed Forces and all objective observers know that such changes are routine and in the interest of the growth and well-being of the Armed Services.
“President Jonathan has no need therefore to justify the recent changes to anyone and the recourse by the media to a totally off-the-mark interpretation of his remarks in Yola to explain the changes was most unnecessary and pointless,” the statement said.
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