The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thursday counseled the President Muhammadu Buhari presidency to stop chasing shadows and end its resort to falsehood and blackmail, urging the president to take a lesson from the widespread booing that greeted him during his visit to insurgency ravaged Borno State last Wednesday.
PDP position was predicated on the allegation by the presidency that the people of Borno State were paid to boo the president even when his ordeal was clearly self-inflicted following his presidency’s continuous aloofness to the plight of Nigerians and communities being daily ravaged by terrorists, bandits and insurgents.
The party stated in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, that President Buhari should rather accept the bitter truth that Nigerians no longer have confidence in him instead of allowing his aides to insult the already hurting people of Borno State for expressing their discontentment over the failure of his administration to take steps to end the scourge of terrorism in the country.
According to PDP, “It is indeed an unpardonable height of thoughtlessness and leadership failure for the Buhari presidency to accuse victims of terrorism; a brokenhearted people, including those who have been orphaned, widowed, maimed, rendered homeless and living in agony and fear, of being bribed to boo the president during his media stunt visit.
“Our party holds that an honest and concerned presidency would be more interested in taking decisive steps to tackle the security challenges which has festered under it, instead of engaging in shadow-chasing, blackmail, propaganda and unnecessary media stunt visit, which itinerary did not include the victims of the attacks.”
Moreover, PDP stated that during the visit, President Buhari had no significant soothing words of assurance for the people, saying: “He had no decisive policy thrust to track down the killers, yet his handlers expected the mourning people to clap for him.”
The noted that the reaction of Nigerians in Borno State represents the opinion of majority of Nigerians and the international community, stating that the attempt by the Buhari presidency to divert attention by accusing Nigerians is therefore completely unacceptable.
The Buhari presidency should indeed search its conscience regarding its manifest failure to decisively act in the face of escalated insecurity in our country under its watch,” PDP stated.
The statement also charged the Buhari government to further gauge the feeling of Nigerians by visiting other states of the federation by road, “perhaps after that, it would finally dawn on it that Nigerians, across board, no longer have confidence in his administration.”
Thisday