Insurgency: There’s no plan to remove Shettima – Presidency

The Presidency on Sunday debunked reports in a section of the media that President Goodluck Jonathan is tinkering with the idea of appointing a military administrator for Borno State.
The report had it that the President has already penciled down a retired Army General that will take over from democratically elected Governor Kashim Shettima.
Borno state has witnessed renewed attacks by the dreaded Islamist sect, Boko Haram.
In the last couple of weeks, no fewer than 200 people have been killed in villages across Borno and Adamawa States.
Reacting to the report, Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the report was aimed at projecting the Federal Government in bad light.
Abati said: “It is preposterous.
“It does not make any sense.
“This is one of the states that government had declared a state of emergency twice, and on the two occasions, it did not remove the governors of the affected states.
“Nowhere does the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recommend military rule over civilian rule in a democratic setting like Nigeria.
“And this is a government that has consistently placed emphasis on strict adherence to the rule of law.
“If there is need to extend the state of emergency in the states that are currently observing it, government would do so and not to remove a democratically elected governor.
“To suggest that the Federal Government is trying to impose a military government in a democratic dispensation is far-fetched.
“Let it not be another mischievous attempt in the media to project government in bad light.”