Buhari Retires Army Generals for Supporting Jonathan’s 2015 Elections

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government has sacked some senior officers of the Nigerian Army, for allegedly supporting his predecessor, former President, Goodluck Jonathan, in the 2015 polls.

Buhari, who won the election under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the March 28, 2015 general elections, contested against Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The highly contested election was greeted with lots of criticisms from the then opposition, APC, who claimed that the military was partisan and should not be involved in the elections.

The now ruling APC at the build-up of the 2015 elections, rejected the use of military at the polling stations, as proposed by the Jonathan administration, with the claim that they could be used to rig the PDP into power.

However, the military authority in a statement on Friday, announced the compulsory retirement of its senior officers, who were said to be “investigated for partisanship in the 2015 general election”, and for alleged corruption.

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The army spokesman, Sani Usman, who disclosed Buhari’s orders in a statement, said some of those retired were Major-Generals, Brigadier-Generals, Colonels, Lieutenant-Colonels,‎ among others.‎
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“The Nigeria army wishes to inform the general public that quite a number of senior officers of the Nigeria army were retired from service yesterday,” he said in a statement.

“Those retired were mainly some major generals, brigadier generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels and a major.

“Their retirement was based on service exigencies. It should be recalled, that not too long ago some officers were investigated for being partisan during the 2015 general election.

“Similarly, the investigation by the Presidential Committee investigating defence contracts revealed a lot. Some officers have already been arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).‎”

Usman, said the army appealed that Nigerians, “should therefore not read this out of context”, saying “the military must remain apolitical and professional at all times”.

President Buhari, who gave this order for the sack, is currently on a ten day vacation to London, in order to seek medical attention over an ear infection.