APC, PDP in verbal war amid Kagara abduction
By Laraba Raphael
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday engaged in verbal war over the abuductees in Niger State.
While the PDP charge the Buhari-led administration to speak out on these reports and take immediate steps to settle their political mercenaries, return them to wherever they brought them from and bring an end to this gruesome attacks on Nigerians.
In a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said “The lethargic stance of the APC administration towards the fight against banditry further validates reports in the public space that the bandits are connected to the APC and enjoying cover under the ruling party.”
“The PDP describes as revealing that while the people of Niger state and Nigerians in other states were under attack by bandits, APC leaders, including those in Niger state, were busy pursuing their party’s phony membership re-registration exercise, instead of rallying security and rescue efforts for the people.”
According to Ologbondiyan, “Nigerians were jolted by the Tuesday’s coordinated bandit attacks, kidnapping and killings in several communities in Niger state.
Bandits were reported to have on Tuesday, moved from village to village, supported by a helicopter, as they pillaged our compatriots, sacked major highways and held communities in Niger state hostage for several hours without any counter attack. ”
But in a swift reaction, the ruling APC accused the leaders of the PDP of baseless narrative of what had happened during the abduction in Niger State.
The National Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), of APC, Senator John J. Akpan Udoedehe, in a statement yesterday
quoted the statement earlier issued by the PDP he said
“Bandits moved from village to village, supported by a helicopter”. This is part of the crass, wild and baseless official statement issued by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in response to the condemnable abductions of schoolchildren and other citizens in Niger State.
“If anyone is in doubt that the PDP shouldn’t be taken seriously on any issue in the country, here lies a stark reminder.
“To this end, we cannot join issues with the PDP but rather focus on ongoing efforts to ensure the quick and safe release of the abducted schoolchildren and other citizens. Coordinated by our service chiefs, President Muhammadu Buhari has already deployed to Niger State national security assets to achieve this.”
“We urge parents, loved ones and other stakeholders not to be distracted by the PDP’s insensitive, horribly-timed and baseless conspiracies and lies as all hand are on deck to ensure the quick and safe release of the abductees.
“Government’s resolve and the capacity of our security services to end these cowardly attacks on soft targets, particularly schools is not in doubt. We urge the continued support all Nigerians to ensure this.
The PDP while commensurating with victims of the attack ask Nigerians to be wary of APC, the ruling Party urged Nigerians not to pay attention to the lies of the Opposition.
