President Goodluck Jonathan plots to extend the emergency rule in the three terrorist-ravaged North-Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, for elections would not hold there. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun supposed that at the APC ‘Salvation’ rally in Abuja.
He said the head of the country daily occupied in idle talks about a total war on Boko Haram, but wondered what the Federal government (FG) had been doing since the first time emergency rule was forced in these states.
APC has accused Jonathan’s government of playing politics with the Boko Haram group.
Oyegun also wondered if Jonathan established the emergency rule a number of times only to lock in the citizens so that the Boko Haram terrorists could have a free lead.
He said, “Without doubt, the war against Boko Haram has become a tool for self-enrichment and a tool to disenfranchise Nigerians who are perceived not likely to vote for President Jonathan’s re-election.”
“Everything points to the fact that President Jonathan’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency is aimed at one thing and one thing only: disenfranchisement of persons who are perceived not to be in support of his re-election, especially in the North-Eastern part of the country.
“Is it not curious that Mubi was captured without one shot being fired by the insurgents or one single casualty on the part of federal troops? As a matter of fact, we have it on good authority that as soon as President Goodluck Jonathan obtains the green light from the National Assembly, there will be no elections in the North-Eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. By this singular act, some five million Nigerians will be disenfranchised, making Jonathan’s re-election a foregone conclusion.”
The APC national chairman mentioned that there was no bound to the length Jonathan would go in his passion for re-election and quoted the abduct of Chibok girls.
He accused the president in cruelly playing on the emotions and sensibilities of all Nigerians, especially the families, relations and associates of the kidnapped girls, when he asked his Chief of Defence staff to falsely announce that Boko Haram has agreed to a peace and that the release of the abducted schoolgirls was just a matter of days.
Mr. Oyegun said in the president’s harassment to succeed, there appeared to be a secret understanding that the Nigeria’s security troops should turn a blind eye to Boko Haram sect so that the terrorists could take as much territory as possible and make elections unworkable in the areas knowing full well that they are APC stronghold.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has never been out of power in the country since the country returned to civilian rule in 1999.
But the opposition has been seen as stronger than ever after dozens of PDP state governors and lawmakers defected last year in opposition to Jonathan’s bid for re-election.
Jonathan asked parliament for a further six-month extension of emergency rule in northeastern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa to help end the violence.
The House of Representatives, on its part, will reconvene tomorrow to deliberate on the president’s request.
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