News Editor
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to comments made by some state governors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the insecurity ravaging parts of the country, describing the comments as shameful and unfortunate.
The PDP in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, said the APC led administration has not only failed to protect the lives and properties of the citizens of Nigeria but has also been openly romancing and empowering terrorists in the country.
The opposition party which also reacted to Kaduna State Governor Nasir Elrufai’s call for use of mercenaries to address the banditry in the country, said his suggestion or threats to import foreign mercenaries is counter-productive and capable of compounding the already dire security situation in the country.
“They are only being encumbered by manifest complicity, conspiracy, incompetence and failure of the Security Command and Control Coordination structure of the APC administration,” Ologunagba said.
“Nigerians can also recall how ahead of the 2019 general elections, Governor el-Rufai threatened that “those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the persons that will come and intervene, they will go back in body bags”. He said.
The PDP also accused governors of states under the control of the APC of empowering terrorists operating in the region by paying them taxpayers money in what it described as ‘huried, uncoordinated and hazy negotiations’.
“The media was also awash with reports of how Governors of APC-controlled States, especially in the North West region of the country publicly romanced and empowered terrorists by paying them billions of naira of public funds in various hurried, uncoordinated and hazy negotiations.
“Nigerians have not forgotten how in November 2020 the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency through its spokesperson, Shehu Garba, rationalized the beheading of 43 rice farmers in Borno State by terrorists and blamed the farmers for not obtaining clearance before going to their farms.
Such comments and actions by Governor el-Rufai, the Buhari Presidency and other APC leaders have the propensity to embolden terrorists to unleash violence on innocent people, the result of which are now apparent and living with us,” he said.
