Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, has strongly refuted allegations that he referred to President-elect Bola Tinubu as a drug lord, dismissing such claims as baseless and unfounded, News About Nigeria reports.
The retired General has categorically stated that the claim attributing the statement to him, which asserts, “Having a recognized drug lord as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria is an affront to the military,” is completely untrue.
In response, his spokesperson, Mohammad Abdulkadri, issued a statement on Saturday, denouncing the publication as a product of anti-democratic forces.
Magashi believes that certain disgruntled individuals are attempting to tarnish his reputation and that of the nation’s non-political military by linking him to derogatory remarks about Tinubu.
He pointed out that he was among the first members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to extend his congratulations to the President-elect.
Emphatically rejecting the allegations, Magashi condemned what he referred to as the fabrication of false news at a time when his focus is on overseeing the military’s support of civil authorities in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
The statement released on behalf of the Minister highlighted his impeccable track record as a loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his standing as a respected elder statesman within the party, which is the same party to which the President-elect belongs.
The statement further affirmed that neither propaganda nor attempts at blackmail aimed at Magashi and the military would hinder their commitment to dealing with any individual or group whose intention is to disrupt the inauguration scheduled for May 29.
