A former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) has said that the military cannot take over without politicians being involved. Abdulsalami, who is the last military ruler of Nigeria, said this during an exclusive interview with The Sun Newspaper.
Daily Trust reports that there have been coups in some parts of West Africa in recent times. Last year when the military overtook the government of democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger, Abdulsalami was one of those who intervened on behalf of the regional bloc, ECOWAS.
This was after sanctions were imposed on the neighbouring West African nation, which refused to return power to the ousted president. However, by the time ECOWAS shifted its ground on sanctions, Niger had already formed alliance with other countries which also kicked out civilian governments.
Speaking during the interview, the former Head of State, said: “You see, whatever happens, it must be the political field that allows any military man to take over. When you are in government and there is no equity and justice, certainly this brings problems. You have a political party and even in the political party one belongs to, there is no democracy.
“So, certainly, you will expect some quivers, some quarrels to come out and if they are not handled amicably, certainly, this will result in military takeover. Remember there is no military man that takes over without the connivance and assistance of politicians and civilians.”
NewsBits recalls that since Nigeria got independence in 1960, there have been a series of not less than seven military coup d’états namely the Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu coup; the Yakubu Gowon coup; Murtala Ramat Mohammed coup; the Col. Buka Suka Dimka coup; the Buhari/Idiagbon coup; the Ibrahim Babangida coup and the General Sani Abacha coup which overthrew the Interim National Government of Chief Earnest Shonekon. The list above does not include the failed coups, and phantom ones.
Between 1966 and 1999, Nigeria was ruled by a military government without interruption, apart from a short-lived return to democracy under the Second Nigerian Republic of 1979 to 1983.
