We Insist On Interim National Government But Don’t Woo Military To Plan Coup, Anti-Tinubu
Adedokun Waliyu 
The group had called for the invocation of the Interim National Government and compensation of all victims of electoral violence in the country.
The Free Nigeria Movement (FNM) has debunked the insinuation and claims that their presence at the Ministry of Defence in Abuja during their protest was to woo the military to take over the country’s democratic government.
The protesters who have embarked on protests for two weeks have visited several places such as the Independent National Electoral Commission office. They have also visited US and UK Embassies, United Nations, and ECOWAS among others over the alleged manipulation of 2023 presidential election.
The group has called for the sacking and prosecution of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. The group also called for the invocation of the Interim National Government and compensation of all victims of electoral violence in the country.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja on behalf of the group, its Convener, Dr. Moses Paul, said the claim that their presence at the Ministry of Defence was to woo the military was mischievous and ridiculous.
According to him, it was aimed at heating the polity and causing political instability.
He said the country cannot afford a return to the dark years of military dictatorship and given the contribution of Nigeria to political disputes in Mali and Gambia, that is not an option.
Moses said, “Those claiming that our submission at the Ministry of Defence was to woo the military over a possible takeover are mischievous and desperate spin doctors whose only interest is to midwife instability in our polity.
“Their plan will never succeed. Our country cannot afford a return to the dark years of military dictatorship and given the contribution of Nigeria to political dispute in Mali and Gambia, that is not an option.
“On the said day, we had rounded up visits to the US Embassy and the High Commissions of Britain and Canada, when we made a brief stop at the Ministry of Defence to read our press statement calling on the military to stay within the law in their conduct.
“We call on the spin doctors to desist from any further lies over our intentions. We cannot be part of any ploy to destabilize Nigeria any more than it currently is by the illegal conduct of Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu.
“For those insisting on the unconstitutionality of the call, we like to remind you that prof. Mahmoud Yakubu’s actions are also unconstitutional and that public deceit is a crime. The fact that he still has a job in the commission is proof of how much we have fallen into the pit of illegality.”
He said they would not deviate from their demands which include the sacking, arrest and detention of Yakubu, declaration of an Interim Government and compensation of the victims of electoral violence and voters’ suppression.
“The reason our country remained politically moribund for years was due to our indifference to suppression, oppression and injustice.
“This is why we have been marching for ten days now to call awake our national consciousness to the barrage of illegalities committed during the presidential, national assembly, gubernatorial and state assembly elections,” Moses added.
