ABUJA, Nigeria — Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to overhaul Nigeria’s military leadership, describing the move as a necessary and timely act of decisiveness.
Tinubu on Friday, October 25, 2025, announced sweeping changes across the defence hierarchy, appointing new service chiefs, including a replacement for the Chief of Defence Staff.
The move, which comes amid ongoing security challenges, has sparked national debate, especially in the wake of unconfirmed reports of a planned coup.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Agbakoba said Tinubu’s decision demonstrated firmness and political will that were lacking in previous administrations.
“You have a president who is prepared to take tough decisions, and we know that he likes to take tough decisions,” he said.
“I think he has done the right thing because his predecessor, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, did not like to make such decisions and allowed his military team to stay far longer than they should have.”
Recent speculation has linked the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebrations on October 1 to an alleged coup plot.
However, the Defence Headquarters has denied any such connection, saying the decision to cancel the parade was purely administrative.
Agbakoba suggested that, whether or not the coup rumours were accurate, Tinubu’s action was prudent.
“So, if it is indeed true that there was a rumoured coup, I think he acted sensibly by doing exactly what he has done,” he said.
The legal luminary, who once served as president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), noted that decisive leadership was essential in maintaining stability in a country facing complex security threats across multiple regions.
Agbakoba contrasted Tinubu’s leadership style with that of Buhari, under whom, he argued, the same military chiefs remained in office for too long despite limited progress in curbing insecurity.
Under Buhari’s administration, service chiefs were frequently criticised for prolonged tenure and perceived inefficiency, with calls for their replacement growing louder in the final years of his presidency.
In contrast, Tinubu’s reshuffle — his second since assuming office in May 2023 — is seen as part of a broader strategy to rejuvenate the armed forces and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s security apparatus.
Agbakoba said the president’s move sends a clear message of authority and control.
“It shows that he is in charge and that he will not hesitate to act when necessary,” he said.
