At the tail end of the uncertainty over President Muhammadu Buhari’s current state of health and the prospect of his return, is the persistency of the speculations over military plots to take over governance.
Some unidentified individuals who claimed to be senior military officers sent a notice to online media publications on 12 July, warning that senior military officials would seize power if Buhari’s health fails to improve.
The anonymous group warned Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to remain vigilant of these schemes, citing a recent book launch hosted by Brigadier General Zakariya Maimalari as a cover for military officers to gather and discuss their plans to take over from the government.
In response, the Director of Defense Information, Major General John Enenche, issued a statement on 13 July denying that the military had any plans to remove Osinbajo in the event of Buhari standing down.
He insisted that the military remain loyal to Buhari as commander-in-chief of the armed forces as well as ‘other political leaders including Osinbajo.’
Rumours of coups have followed the Buhari Administration since he was sworn in on 29 May 2015. The first major speculation of a coup plot against Buhari was when Niger Delta militants alleged on 23 June 2016 that they had been approached by some military officers to destroy oil assets to provide cover for a coup. A second instance occurred on 16 May this year, when Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai disclosed that he had received information that several military officers were being approached for ‘political reasons’, and warned them to stay clear of politics.
The consistency of reports of coup plots is closely tied to Buhari’s poor state of health and the desperation of several northern elites to hang on to power at all costs. A coup is seen is an option to maintain political power — and the patronage that comes with it — if Buhari were to die in office. Despite these rumours, no arrests or meaningful accusations have been made against military or civilian personnel, and therefore their credibility looks weak.
But the perseverance of these rumours … [article continues] …
This is an excerpt from an article in our weekly Nigeria Politics & Security publication.
