…Accuses FG of Lying to Nigerians
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Nigerians should
hold President Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency directly responsible for
the abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state and several other
atrocities committed by insurgents against citizens, particularly in the
northern part of the country.
It said so on Friday in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
Ologbondiyan said: “The Buhari Presidency has put Nigerians at risk by deceiving the people
and issuing false performance indices suggesting that insurgents have
been completely routed out, a situation which made our unsuspecting
citizens trust a lie and dropped their guards in the face of real
threats and danger.
“Without doubt, if the incompetent All Progressives Congress (APC)-led
government had not dished out lies to the people in a bid to score cheap
political points for its ill-lucked 2019 re-election bid, more
precautionary measures would have been adopted by the affected
communities to ensure adequate protection.
“While Nigerians are appalled by APC’s recourse to false indices in
critical sectors, it is however, to say the least, an inexcusable height
of wickedness to give a vulnerable people a false assurance of security
when they are actually in danger.”
The PDP also accused the federal government of suppressing information on the abduction.
The party said: “Furthermore, the PDP decries as iniquitous, the efforts by
APC-controlled federal authorities to suppress information on the
abduction, leading to conflicting reports and frustrating of rescue
mission, just because they seek to hide the failures of the presidency
in ensuring the safety of Nigerians, particularly in the north.
We were shocked that in their proclivity to deceive, the authorities
earlier informed Nigerians that some of the girls have been recovered
only for the news to turn out to be false.
“While President Buhari has not uttered any word of assurance,
Government’s visiting team headed by the Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed only had a whistle stop at the Dapchi
school and made no effort to interface or even commiserate with
community leaders and parents of the abducted girls, while completely
shutting out the media. This only further confirms APC’s insensitivity
to the plight of Nigerians.
“It is more irking that the President and Commander-in-Chief will
publicly provide a day an asymmetry war will come to an end as if acts
of insurgency are fought like a conventional warfare.
“It is painful that Nigerians are faced today with a government that has
been heavy on propaganda and issuing of false statistics, while playing
down on several atrocities committed against defenseless citizens.
“Under the PDP, Nigerians were never told lies on the true situation of
the state of affairs in all sectors, particularly security. The PDP-led
government constantly briefed Nigerians and carried all stakeholders
along in our concerted effort in securing lives and property in our
nation.
“Nigerians and indeed the world must hold the Buhari Presidency and the
APC-led Federal Government directly responsible for the abduction of
these defenseless schoolgirls as well as the killings in our country
today.
“While the PDP stands with the parents of the abducted girls at this
moment of their harrowing pains and prays for their speedy return, we
implore our security forces to insulate themselves from APC propaganda,
take very decisive professional steps to recover our girls and end the
killings in our country.”