Date Published: 02/26/10

25 th February 2010.

Press Release

Lagos AC Lampoons Dambazau over Unguarded Statement.

The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress has condemned in very strong language the statement credited to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General A. B. Dambazau that he is only loyal to President Yar’Adua and no one else as dangerous and provocative and shows that the COAS is disloyal to the constitution of the country. The party warns Dambazau and his likes that they would be held responsible if the present democracy is brought to a sad end as a result of their deliberate actions to satisfy their selfish cravings.

In a release in Lagos, signed by the party’s Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the AC, Joe Igbokwe, Lagos AC says that Dambazau has grossly betrayed his commission by that statement and needs to be removed if he cannot have the decency to resign for that unguarded statement. It says that the likes of Dambazau and those behind the drama that had been staged in Nigeria since Yar’Adua’s illness began should be prepared to face the consequences of their divisive actions if this country is plunged into crisis.

“We should believe that public officials owe their loyalty to Nigeria and not to individuals so for such a highly placed officer as Damabazau to come out openly to pledge loyalty to the person and not the country is a dangerous signal that some people are bent on foisting their idiosyncrasies on the rest of the country for their selfish interests. We should believe that Dambazau’s loyalty at present, rests with the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan on whom the full powers of the presidency are vested at present till the time President Yar’Adua is fully capable of exercising such powers again. We would not have quarreled with Dambazau if he had stopped at stating that he owes full allegiance to the office of the presidency but naming Yar’Adua in his statement means that he owes his loyalty to a person and not to the office of the president or the nation itself.

“We see the present posture of Dambazau as a possible explanation to the reported blanking off of Jonathan, who remains the effective Commander in Chief of the armed forces, from knowledge of troops deployed for the arrival of Yar’Adua from Saudi Arabia. We hope Dambazau is not part of the alleged plot to cause confusion in the country, as raised by the American government. We warn the COAS to stop engaging in ethnic politics as he holds a sensitive position that is central to the unity of the country.

“Lagos AC is pained that some people are carelessly toying with the peace and security of the country under the guise of promoting their selfish and sectional interests. we warn them of the consequences of setting the nation on fire, especially at this critical stage in our national life. We know what it is costing the component units in Nigeria to maintain the relative peace which people like Dambazau are toying with and we knew what it took to contain the rising angst in the Niger Delta from where the Acting President on who full executive powers rests with at the moment. We see Dambazau’s tactless statement as inciting the region to possible uprising and this must be condemned by all men of goodwill.

“It is obvious to all that some certain elements are toying with the unity of the country and would do anything to rupture it for the simple reason that it furthers their interests. we warn them that should they succeed in instigating unrest, they would be held responsible for the outcome of such crises.

“We demand an official retraction from Dambazau on this dangerous statement and we want the federal government to disown Dambazau so as to stem possible crisis in the country. Again, we warn that nobody will be allowed to toy with the well being of the country and should this country implode, we know those we will hold responsible.”

Joe Igbokwe.

Publicity Secretary,

Lagos AC