Killings: Femi, you goofed on the opposition – Izuoma Ibe

By Izuoma Ibe
Mr Femi Adesina
Mr Femi Adesina

With due respect, Mr Femi Adesina, you got it wrong this time. Oppositions can't be commanders in chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the presidency has been as still is. It is quite an exhibition of weakness and inexperience to blame the opposition for the loss of lives, killings across the country. How can the opposition, as you described it, be sponsoring the widespread killings in the country that the presidency is unfit to sponsor competent uprising to address the counter?

I listened to your statement when you said: “You have the true herders and farmers who are clashing and you have hidden hostile hands who have crept in under that umbrella to play what the president has described as irresponsible politics.” But are you saying that you know the herders who are clashing? If you do, why hasn't Mr.President addressed that issue? What will it take for the Inspector General of police to fish out the sponsors of this dastard act as you claim there are? Nigerians elected this government, if they really did, for the government to provide and protect them and not to starve and kill them. There should be no excuse to that.

If you say that “This farmers/herders’ clash has been going on for a long time. When I say a long time, I mean far long before this administration", should it persist and not addressed. Is Buhari unfit to assume the Black Panther? If you are now pointing at the opposition as those hiding under your imposed covers to make the current administration appear weak, are you implying that same was done by the APC to weaken the PDP when there were killings by Boko Haram in the northern part of Nigeria?

If as you said that “...He (President Buhari) also said the security agencies are investigating and has warned that once they are identified, they will be dealt with," such actions should be classified and not be used to score political points by undermining the credibility of the opposition. To a large extent, you are issuing propaganda as you have no evidence of your claims. The military may even deny your position on this as they can't be substantiated.

You said that “The intention of the opposition in any democracy is to weaken the incumbent as much as possible and the opposition in Nigeria has identified security as one of the strong points of the Buhari administration. So they decided to go to that area finding the soft underbelly and stick a knife into it.” That is correct about opposition in politicking, however, you can't assume when the fact is obvious that the government which you represent is visibly weak virtually in all ramifications. The government which you today represent was in the opposition, I ask you again, where they responsible for the many killings then? You cannot say that security is one of the strong points of this government; it is pivotal to any government past, present or future. President Buhari has abysmally failed but has championed in blaming everyone.

If security is a strong point of the Buhari administration, how best has it been championed compared to what was obtained in the past administration? if you look inwards, you will notice that there is only a shift from the North to the middle belt, Benue with no equalling force to douse the killings. These are lives of Nigerians being killed on a daily bases.

Izuoma Ibe, sociologist and writer, writes from Abuja via [email protected]

Disclaimer: "The views expressed on this site are those of the contributors or columnists, and do not necessarily reflect TheNigerianVoice’s position. TheNigerianVoice will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements in the contributions or columns here."