The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for leading members of his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on a jamboree national convention while terrorists took over the Kaduna International Airport on Saturday.
The party said in a statement on Sunday that the invasion of the airport was a clear confirmation that the nation’s security, command and control structure under the Buhari-led APC administration has completely collapsed.
Signed by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the statement said: “The alarming invasion of the airport by terrorists at a time outlaws, kidnappers and marauders have taken over our highways and railways has further heightened security concerns that nowhere is safe in the country under the APC.
“The refusal and failure of President Buhari and the APC to take action on the airport attack but continued to jamboree in Abuja in the name of a National Convention reveal and confirm that the Buhari administration has conceded sovereignty over parts of our country to terrorists.
“President Buhari’s nonchalant disposition to this grave security challenge indicates that his administration is unable, unwilling and or complicit in this particular attack as well as various other acts of terrorism in our country.
“It is indefensibly suspicious that while an international airport in our country was under attack by over 200 terrorists with many Nigerians being held hostage and traumatized, President Buhari and the APC continued in their carnival in Abuja without acknowledging or expressing concern. Is this not a case of ‘Buhari fiddles while Nigeria burns?’
“The APC government has failed, become numb to violence against our citizens and can no longer perform its primary duty under Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which provides that “security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”.
“President Buhari’s failure to address the Kaduna Airport attack is consistent with his characteristic abdication of duty at critical times. Nigerians can recall how in January this year, Mr. President cancelled his scheduled visit to Zamfara State, a state that is daily traumatized by terrorists.
“By that action, Mr. President allowed shared sovereignty with terrorists over a part of the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This acquiesce emboldened the terrorists to now expand their control to the international airport in Kaduna ostensibly with the possibility of using it to import arms and ammunition as well as coordinate terrorist activities in our country.
“One of the main features or determinants of sovereignty is the ability of an authority to impose taxes, enforce collection, control commercial activities as well as exit and entry points including airports.
“Under President Buhari terrorists have established sovereignty in substantial parts of the country especially in the North West and North East regions, where terrorists execute laws and impose penalties, collect taxes, control commercial and transportation activities and now scaringly take control of an international airport with grave negative consequences to our national image in the world.
“Our country has never had it this bad with such a weak, uncoordinated and clueless President with an inhumane, visionless and propaganda-driven political party like the APC.
“Nigerians should therefore rally round the PDP in our mission to rescue our nation from the precipice and restore the unity and security of her people.”
Credit: Tribune