The Presidency, has denied a news report that President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the replacement of Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as Service Chiefs.
Presidential Spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said the report was, “not completely true”.
He however, admitted that the Defence Chief was stepping down.
“The newspaper, rather than rush to print an unsubstantiated story, would have done better to confirm the information at its disposal, from many available military, and government information channels. It then would have avoided the self-inflicted wound of publishing a one-legged story, that is not completely true, and damaging its brand in the process.
“General Olonisakin, is due to retire from the Army next week, having satisfied the official number of years in service. He is yet to be replaced. But the Chief of Naval Staff, has a short while more, and President Buhari could therefore, not have approved his replacement yet.”
Adesina, added that the administration had repeatedly pledged commitment to transparency and accountability, and one of the hallmarks of that, is making information available to the media.
“But when some sections of the media would rather speculate, than cross-check, and double check information, then it borders on deliberate mischief. That surely, is not the way to go, for national cohesion, and development,” he said.
Earlier
President Muhammadu Buhari, has on Sunday night, approved the immediate retirement of the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Gabriel Olonisakin; and the Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; a Presidential source has confirmed.
The two Service Chiefs, were directed to handover, on, or before Friday, December 16, according to the directive by the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (Retired).
It was gathered, that their removal from office, was based on their attaining the official years of retirement from the Military.
The Presidential source said, “I can tell you reliably now, that President Buhari has replaced the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olonisakin, and the Naval Chief, Ibas.
“Don’t forget that they are due for retirement, since they both belong to the 26 Regular Course on NDA.
“Also note that the Chief of Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal S. Abubakar, will now assume the CDS position, as the next most senior of the Service Chiefs.
“Already, the Minister of Defence, has sent letters to the affected senior officers”.
Post-Nigeria, gathered that there are ongoing plans by the President to reshuffle his cabinet in the first quarter of 2017.
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