The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused the Federal
Government of planning to impose total emergency rule in Borno, Yobe
and Adamawa states. The North-East states under the control of APC
governors, have been at the mercy of Boko Haram insurgency.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC)
meeting in Abuja, its interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai
Mohammed, who read the communique, alleged that the imposition of total
emergency said to be contemplated by President Goodluck Jonathan was
to hijack the control of the states from the opposition party.
“It has come to our notice that, in pursuant of the Presidency’s
stance to label anyone who offers it any advice on how to curtail the
terrorists attack and boost the morale of our gallant troops, the
imposition of a total state of emergency is being considered for
Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, which is a smokescreen to remove the
democratically-elected governors of these APC states.
“We condemn this move unequivocally and urge the President to
jettison the idea, if indeed, it is being remotely contemplated, because
it will not advance the cause of peace in the affected states”, he
said.
While the opposition party restated its sympathy for the families of
the people who died last Saturday at several venues of the job test
by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), it demanded for what it
called “ a criminal investigation to unravel the circumstances that led
to the deaths of those innocent Nigerians.”
APC attributed the tragedy to a combination of exploitation,
corruption, greed and incompetence of the relevant authorities while it
said the ruling Peoples democratic Party (PDP) cannot turn around the
fortunes of Nigerians.
“The pervasive corruption that has become the hallmarks of the
government paved the way for this unprecedented greed in which hapless
job seekers were extorted by the same government that has failed to
provide jobs for them.
“ It should be made clear that this government encourages and
babysits corruption, stealing not only from the pension fund of Nigerian
citizens, but also from the unemployed and from our collective
patrimony, the NNPC.”
The APC spokesman also announced that the NEC has approved dates for
the conduct of state congresses and National Convention of the party.
According to the guidelines, ward congress would hold on April 5
and local government congress, April 12. The state congress would hold
on April 23 while the National Convention has been slated for May 24.
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