Danjuma’s call proof of Buhari, APC’s failure ―PDP

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has observed that the call by the former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, that Nigerians should defend themselves against killers, is yet another testimony of the tragic situation into which President Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have dragged the nation.

Danjuma made the call during the maiden convocation of Taraba State University of Saturday.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Sunday, the party said Gen Danjuma’s statement justifies its stand that the Buhari Presidency and “the dysfunctional” APC
must be held responsible for Nigeria’s agonizing state, adding that, Nigerians are now daily paying the supreme price because of the failures of “a grossly incompetent leadership and a deceitful ruling party.”

It noted that the pronouncement, coming from an army general, a former chief of army staff and former defence minister of  Gen. Danjuma’s status, is weighty and directly reflects the ugly situation in the country under the APC.

PDP said the fact that citizens and communities across the country are now resorting to self-defence is also a clear demonstration that  Nigerians, across the board, have completely lost confidence in President Buhari and the APC.

The party added: “It is instructive to recall that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, both former military leaders, army generals and patriots, had earlier raised the issue of unabating bloodletting and pogrom in our country under the APC and the Buhari Presidency.

“Painfully, the APC-controlled Federal Government has not only failed in finding a solution but is also contending with allegations of conspiracy and acts that are believed to have emboldened attacks against innocent  Nigerians.

Nigerians are no longer feeling secure in their land. Our country has, in close to three years, assumed a status of killing field where defenceless citizens are despoiled, raped and mowed by insurgents and marauders in Benue, Taraba, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, Adamawa, Borno,  Plateau, Nasarawa, Rivers, Enugu, Kogi among other states.

“Unfortunately, the Buhari-led APC federal government remains aloof and has failed to take decisive steps that will apprehend the masterminds of the carnage.

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“Instead, what we are witnessing is complete government insensitivity, allegations of complicity and compromise of security around soft targets and dishing out of false information, as was the case in Benue, Yobe, Taraba and other states where Nigerians have come under heavy attacks from marauders.

“More intriguing is that the Presidency and the APC Federal Government have refused to come out clear on their roles in the alleged compromising of security in troubled areas, particularly the reported withdrawal of troops from Dapchi prior to the abduction of the schoolgirls.

“Nigerians are also yet to see the action taken by President Buhari against the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, for flouting the presidential orders that he should relocate to troubled Benue in the heat of attacks on the state.

“Similarly, the loud silence of the Federal Government on the alleged importation of military equipment by APC interests in Kogi State remains ominous.

“Furthermore, the fact that we now have a situation where government confesses to back-channel negotiations with insurgents; the hasty offering of amnesty to marauders and killers, allegations of round-tripping in billions of naira on alleged shady ransom payments and swap deals with insurgents also leaves much to be desired under the current circumstances.

“While we restate our call for a UN-monitored independent inquest on the security situation in our country, we stand with Nigerians in our moment of national despair even as we work collectively on our repositioned PDP to end the misrule of the APC and restore our nation to the path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity.”