By Chimezie Godfrey
The Director of the Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters(DHQ) Abuja, Major General Musa Danmadami says interim government is unconstitutional.
Danmadami who made this assertion Thursday in Abuja, said the Nigerian constitution does make provision for an interim government and therefore should not even be mentioned.
Recall that the Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Services (SSS) recently issued a security alert , alleging that some politicians are plotting an interim government for the nation in reaction to the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
The statement came barely a month after the 25 February presidential election that produced former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu.
About three political parties have challenged the outcome of the election at the tribunal; most of them argued that the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to abide by its guideline on the transmission of results.
The vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Datti Baba-Ahmed, had during an interview on Channels called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, not to swear in the president-elect.
In response, a spokesperson of Tinubu’s campaign, Festus Kayamo, wrote a petition to the SSS, calling for the arrest and prosecution of the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi and Mr Datti.
Also, some persons protested in front of the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, calling for the military’s intervention.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who supported the Labour Party, had in a letter called President Muhammadu Buhari to nullify the presidential election.
General Danmadami responding to interrogations from newsmen at the conclusion of the bi-weekly briefing at the Defence Headquarters Abuja, declared that “Interim government” is unconstitutional, adding that there was no provision for it in the Nigeria constitution.
He said,”On the issue of interim government, the election has been conducted and INEC has announced the president-elect, it is not our responsibility to speak on that matter, but I know that several calls have been made by the presidency that there is nothing like interim national government.
“So, I think people are just trying to be mischevious, it is unconstitutional, all of us know that one, the constitution does not provide for an interim national government. That is the point that the presidency has been hammering, so that is the stand.
“So anything that is unconstitutional as far as I am concerned is not applicable.”
