Some concern groups in Kaduna State have condemned calls by some discontent individuals and groups for a coup d’état, or war, in the country.
The groups made the condemnation at a news conference in Kaduna yesterday.
The conference was convened to declare support for President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani and Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa’s commitment to democracy and security in Nigeria.
The groups consisted of Director, Privilege magazine and Communications Nigeria Ltd, Victor Bobai, and Hussaini Kachia, of Kaduna Citizens’ Forum. Others are North-West coordinator, Nigeria Youth Project, Nuhu Makarfi, a student unionist, Halima Mohammed and Mai Shinkafa, representing market women.
The groups said, “In recent times, there have been rumblings of discontent and calls for coup d’état or war in our beloved country. We stand here today, to firmly denounce such calls and urge Nigerians to rally round President Tinubu and constituted authorities. It is only through unity and cooperation that we can address the challenges facing our nation and move towards a brighter future for all”.
The groups further condemned the attempt by certain individuals to create a discord between the CDS and Tinubu. They argued that instead of creating discord between the Commanders-in-chief and Chief of Defence, such energy should be directed towards promoting unity in the country.
They also emphasised the need for national integrity, respect for the rule of law, safeguarding life and property, economic well-being of Nigerians, transparency, accountability, and efficiency in governance.
They further called for unwavering support for CDS Musa’s quest to enhance security and safeguard the nation’s democracy. They suggested that such support could be through public support and encouragement, collaboration and cooperation, information sharing, and community engagement.
In response to the insidious attempts to undermine Musa’s leadership, the groups announced that they would conduct a public opinion poll across Nigeria.
The goal, according to them, is to gauge the confidence of the population in the men and women of the Nigeria armed forces, for their dedication and hard work in defending the unity of Nigeria. They stressed that Tinubu, Uba Sani, and CDS Musa should be allowed to focus on their constitutional duties.
They opined that the trio were all dedicated leaders, implementing positive reforms that would rebuild and strengthen the nation, adding that supporting them means supporting a brighter future for all Nigerians.
The groups noted that creating an enabling environment for economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction in Nigeria requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach. To achieve these, the groups called for investment in infrastructure, enhancing ease of doing business, promoting small and medium-scale enterprises, developing human capital, and encouraging agricultural development.
Other areas, according to them, include promoting sustainable industrialisation, fostering public-private partnership, strengthening social safety nets, encouraging foreign direct investment, ensuring economic stability and macro-economic stability.
