The Presidency on Saturday described as untrue insinuations that President Umaru Yar�Adua approved the recent shake-up in the command structure of the armed forces over a perceived threat.
Rather, it said the changes were made in the �normal course of affairs,� noting that the former chiefs of Defence Staff and Naval Staff, General Andrew Azazi and Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, respectively, had been �due for retirement several months ago.�
The Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, explained the reasons for the changes in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja.
However, the statement did not indicate whether the former Chief of Army Staff, General Luka Yusuf, was equally due for retirement.
The Presidency�s clarification followed insinuations by some politicians that the President made the move to check perceived threats to the Federal Government.
Just as Yar�Adua approved the changes, the Peoples Democratic Party had reportedly condemned calls from opposition parties for an interim national government, saying the proposal was an attempt to derail democracy in the country.
The PDP had also described proponents of the Interim National Government as elements who wanted to subvert President Umaru Yar�Adua�s administration.
The coincidence of the two developments also fuelled insinuations of a perceived threat to the government.
But Adeniyi explained that the changes could not be made earlier as Yar�Adua insisted on due process in the selection of replacements.
The President also demanded and received proper background checks and briefs on the short-listed replacements, and made necessary consultations.
The statement from the Presidency reads in part, �In view of comments and speculations in the media concerning the recent changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, the Presidency wishes to affirm that the changes were made in the normal course of affairs and were not a reaction to any particular occurrence.
�The changes announced on Wednesday were certainly not made in response to any perceived threat to Government and the stability of the nation.
�Attempts to tie the changes to statements by some politicians should therefore be disregarded as mere mischief.
�The fact is that a change of guards in the armed forces had been on the cards for sometime since both the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi and the former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye became due for retirement several months ago.
�The changes were not made earlier because of the President�s insistence that things be done properly at all times.
�He demanded proper background checks and briefs on all those recommended as replacements for the outgoing service chiefs and also undertook necessary consultations.�
The Presidency went ahead to refute reports that Yar�Adua did not see the former service chiefs before their removal was announced.
Adeniyi said Yar�Adua met them on Wednesday afternoon to thank them for their services to the country, before they later on met with Defence Minister, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed.
The President had on Wednesday surprisingly removed the service chiefs of the Army and Navy, as well as the chief of Defence Staff, who was replaced with the chief of Naval Staff.
The development was even more dramatic as Yar�Adua approved the changes shortly before jetting out to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj.
Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinirin replaced Dike as the Chief of Air Staff, while Major General A.B Dambazau took over from Luka Yusuf as the Chief of Army Staff.
In the same vein, Rear Admiral Isiaiah Iko Ibrahim replaced Adekeye as the Chief of Naval Staff