Nigeria President replaces military, security heads

Jonathan, who took over after the death of president Umaru Yar'Adua in May, did not provide specific details on the reason for the moves announced a day after the country set 22 January as the date for its presidential election.

The president has not yet declared whether he will run in the election, but he is widely expected to do so despite deep disagreement within his ruling Peoples Democratic Party over whether he should be its candidate.
 
Some in the party say the PDP should abandon Jonathan, a southern Christian, in favour of a candidate from the country's mainly Muslim north.
Two northern candidates, including a former military ruler, are seeking the ruling party's nomination.
 
One political insider who declined to be named said the moves signalled a "need to have effective control of the armed forces before elections".
 
"The context is very much influenced by political tectonics and the commander-in-chief is trying to respond to that," he said.
 
The four replaced military chiefs had been appointed by the late president Yar'Adua in August 2008.
 
"The president thanked the outgoing service chiefs whose tenure expired in August for loyalty and dedication to service," the statement said.
 
New heads of intelligence and police were also named, it said.
 
Some observers said the replacements had been overdue, especially in the wake of the transition from the Yar'Adua era and because of oil sabotage and theft that has continued to plague the Niger Delta region.