The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the alleged misrule of President Mohammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the continuous killing of Nigerians in avoidable bloody clashes in various parts of the country, particularly the preventable skirmishes between the police and protesters in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Monday.
In a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, it’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja on Tuesday, the party said it was heartbroken that the administration has gradually turned various parts of our country, including the nation’s capital, into arenas of violence and bloodletting.
It said it was particularly saddened by the death of an innocent National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, attached to the Channels TV, 23 years old Mr Precious Owolabi, who was shot during the Monday bloody clash between the police and protesters in Abuja.
ALSO READ: Ivory from nearly 300 elephants seized by Singapore authorities
The statement added: “Indeed, our hearts reach out to his family at this moment of grief.
“The killing of Mr Owolabi, as well as the avoidable deaths of other compatriots, including a Deputy Commissioner of Police, is indeed another sad commentary on the irreplaceable losses and anguish families in Nigeria have continued to bear under the APC.”
The PDP held that President Buhari has not demonstrated enough capacity and commitment to effectively manage our national affairs and put measures in place to ensure a stable, united, equitable and secured Nigeria.
Also, the APC has shown that it is completely unpatriotic and only out to destabilise our nation for its selfish reasons, the party stated.
The PDP, therefore, called on Nigerians of good faith to explore necessary avenues available in a democracy and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to raise a voice of lamentation on the state of our nation under the misrule of the APC.
“Certainly, no nation can thrive under an atmosphere of persistent violence, bloodletting and siege mentality on the citizenry,” it added.
The PDP noted that had President Buhari indeed, given the littlest consideration to the continuous wise counsel by well-meaning Nigerian leaders, including former presidents, as well as international bodies, the security challenges confronting the nation would have been reduced to the barest minimum.
The PDP, therefore, charged President Buhari to listen to the voice of reason, arise and take immediate steps that would put to an end the violence ravaging our country.
It stated that in the same vein, APC must end all its manifest anti-people tendencies, noxious body language and all acts that promote impunity and lawlessness in our land.
The PDP, therefore, called on the National Assembly, as true representatives of the people, to immediately rise to the occasion by taking urgent legislative steps to unravel how the Monday protest led to the death of yet to be ascertained number of Nigerians.