APC Slams Presidency Over Chibok Abduction
SAN FRANCISCO, May 09, (THEWILL) â€' The All Progressives Congress (APC) Friday slammed the Presidency over the Chibok abduction, saying the incident has exposed the Presidency's incompetency.
The Interim National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Tijanni Musa Tumsa, stated this as he alleged that the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east was a product of Federal Government's incompetency in the fight against the insurgency and other terrorists' activities for over four years.
Speaking at the Borno Government House in Maiduguri when a delegation of the party paid a 'sympathy and solidarity' visit to the Borno state government and its people over the Boko Haram insurgency and recent abduction of over 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, he said: 'We are here today to sympathise with the government and people of Borno state over Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed many lives and property in the last three or five years in the Northeast sub-region of this country.
' This condolence; will also enable our party, the APC establish solidarity with Shettima's administration and its citizens in the immediate and unconditional rescue of the abduction schoolgirls of Chibok by suspected insurgents on Monday, April 14, 2014.'
According to the APC chieftain, 'We have come here today to also strengthen your fortitude and resilience in handling terrorists' activities in Borno. APC is 100 per cent behind the policies and leadership styles of your administration.'
Noting that there was the need for a secured environment for all under a democratic governance of APC at the national and state levels, Tumsa said: 'The protection of people's lives and property in the nation lies on the Federal Government and not the Boko Haram and affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in the sub-region of this country.'
He said the Military and Police are under the federal government; and not the affected states.
Tumsa said the country's constitution must be strictly followed to the letter, before the rule of law must prevail in the protection of people's lives and property.
He added that the party was very proud of Borno state and its people.
'Let me make very bold to say here that the Boko Haram insurgency was a product of Federal Government's incompetent fight against insurgency in the North for over three years,' Tumsa alleged.
He said it took two and half years for President Goodluck Jonathan to visit the two affected states of Borno and Yobe; and it took two weeks for the President to take decisive action on the abduction of school girls from Chibok.
The allegation came as the APC interim national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was also on the entourage to the state, said he had nothing to add to what Tumsa has said on the responsibilities of Federal Government to protect people's lives and property, irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations people in the nation.
Mohammed told Shettima to remain focused and not allow himself to be distracted by the presidency which is only looking for scapegoat for its inefficiency.
In his response, Shettima said the state and its citizens are going through trying times of the nation as he maintained that Tumsa and Mohammed have spoken eloquently on the responsibilities of securing people's lives and property.
He advised that leaders should be guided by the constitution of the country and not on the basis of ethnic or religious affiliations, maintaining that the most important thing was that to get the abducted girls back.