Emeka Ibemere
Against all
odds in the lingering crises trailing the memo delivered to the Presidency by
the Adamawa State Governor, Governor Murtala Nyako, the former Commissioner of
Police, in Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has asked the presidency to reply
the vexatious memo, especially the four pertinent questions raised by Nyako.
This is
coming on the heels of the expanded security meeting with the 36 governors in
attendance on Thursday condemning the Gov. Murtala Nyako’s memorandum.
Nyako had
last week, accused the Federal Government of carrying out genocide against the
people of the north.
In reaction
to Governor Murtala Nyako’s memo to other Northern Governors, in which he
accused President Goodluck Jonathan of carrying out genocide against the north,
the Presidency last Saturday accused the governor of lacking the capacity to
rise above sectional sentiments and therefore, "unfit for the hallowed position
of a State Governor.”
The Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a
statement said, “Governor Nyako claims that President Goodluck Jonathan is from
the Eastern region which according to him was responsible for the killing of
Northern political elites on the 15th of January 1966!
“This is a
very disgraceful remark by the governor and a pathetic embarrassment to the
Nigerian Military from where Nyako derives his career antecedents. It is
certainly a reflection of the Governors ignorance and unpatriotic inclinations.
“Similarly,
the Adamawa state governor referred to the Boko Haram terrorist group as a
‘phantom organization’ which he believes does not exist! How hypocritical!?
“In his
unwise and desperate attempt to demonise the Federal Government, Governor Nyako
likened the military operations against insurgents to the activities of German
dictator, Adolf Hitler!
“In his
befuddled mind and apparent hallucination, the Federal Government should be
held responsible for the activities of insurgents in the North East and the sad
killings, wanton destruction, murder and kidnapping of school children as well
as other horrendous activities of Boko Haram should be hung on the neck of the
Federal Government!
“He therefore
invited his colleague northern governors to join him to sue the Federal
Government. This definitely defies common sense and portrays Mr Nyako as unfit
for the hallowed position of a State Governor.”
Okupe
requested Nyako to publish his yearly budget for the past five years and
disclose how much has been voted or spent to support the war on terror or
assist victims of insurgents activities in his state.
Okupe
therefore urged Nigerians to ignore the letter which he described as senseless
letter.
He said the
ignoble aim of the letter was to create disaffection among Nigerians, polarise
the country along ethnic lines and unkindly disparage the present
administration which continues to work hard to fully eliminate insurgency and
destroy their support base.
“It is
obvious that Governor Nyako’s opposition to the declaration of a State of
Emergency in three affected states of the North East as well as his repeated
calls for the withdrawal of the Military from troubled states without any
credible alternative or security road map, is an open endorsement of the
activities of the insurgents which is meant to provide them unrestricted
opportunity to further unleash terror on innocent citizens in order to
precipitate chaos, further instability, mayhem and anarchy ; a situation which
they intend to exploit to undermine the administration and truncate our growing
democracy. This, Nigerians will surely not allow to happen.
“The Federal
Government assures Nigerians of its continuous determination to defeat terror
and restore peace to every part of northern Nigeria so that every law abiding
Nigerian citizen can go about with his/her socio economic pursuit without let
or hindrance in all parts of the country,” the statement added.
But Tsav, a
social crusader and anti-corruption campaigner said he wasn’t moved by the
condemnation of the memo by the Presidency and some Nigerians but preferred to
ask the presidency to answer the questions raised in the memo.
Tsav keen on
the questions raised by Nyako, also asked the same question putted by Nyako as
necessary rather than blackmailing the governor.
“How come
the insurgents move about unchallenged at night in states placed under
so-called emergency rule when we have night curfews in place? How come the
insurgents operate for many hours unchallenged when we have military units all
over the place”? Tsav queried. “How come the insurgents move with a large
convoy of vehicles through routes that have 24 hours military checkpoints? How
come statements by the presidency and other authorities in Abuja are always at
variance with the realities on ground at the theatres of the conflict”?
Tsav stated
that he was pained by the reaction of the presidency who he said that rather
than answer these serious and pertinent questions and take steps to correct the
anomalies that the presidency engaged in the insult of Governor Nyako, to cover
their glaring incapacity and failures. “Is the military part of the insurgency?
We want these questions answered”, Tsav toned.
He condemned
the President’s public engagement with the governor. “Why does GEJ engage Gov
publicly”? Tsav queried, again.
The expanded
security meeting with the 36 governors in attendance was held on Thursday April
24 with the condemnation of the Gov. Murtala Nyako’s memorandum which allegedly
accused the Federal Government of carrying out genocide against the people of
the north.
The meeting
also had all the heads of security agencies, Service Chiefs and religious
leaders in attendance.
Briefing
State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, Gov. Theodore Orji of
Abia said that the memorandum was discussed and all the participants
unanimously condemned it.
‘‘The memo
that was written by one of our colleagues, that is the Gov. of Adamawa, was
discussed and there was a very unanimous condemnation of that memo and all
officers, all people in the position of authorities were advised to be cautious
of what they say.
''That what
they say should be what will, at least, level every person, makes us to know
that this country belongs to us not something that will demoralise us, not
something that will excite or incite people to go the negative way.’’
He said the
meeting also recognised the fact that security issue should be seen and treated
as a corporate issue which should not be left for the Federal Government alone
to handle.
Orji said
that the meeting agreed that all the three tiers of government should be
involved in ensuring security of lives and property of all citizens.
He said that
the meeting enjoined the media to partner with government and all security
agencies in the fight against insurgency in the country.
According to
him, the participants also agreed that Boko Haram insurgency was not religious
in any form as both Muslims and Christians were being killed by the insurgents.
Also
briefing the correspondents, Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State added that the
meeting agreed that the Federal Government should continue to sustain its
cooperation with the neighbouring countries in the fight against insurgency.
He said the
meeting also agreed on the involvement of all security agencies, including the
military institution, in the ongoing fight against all forms of violent crimes,
especially insurgency in the country.
The meeting,
which lasted for over eight hours, was presided over by President Goodluck
Jonathan with Vice President Namadi Sambo in attendance.
Governors
present at the meeting were those of Anambra, Abia, Benue, Zamfara, Ebonyi, Delta, Kwara,
Kogi, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Sokoto,
Adamawa, Borno, Taraba (Acting), Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Cross River and Ondo.
The
Governors of Plateau, Jigawa, Oyo, Imo, Rivers, Kano, Ekiti, Ogun, Kebbi and
Yobe were represented by their deputies. Also in attendance were Ministers of
Police Affairs, Defence, Interior, Federal Capital Territory, Foreign Affairs
and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The Service
Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser, Corps Marshal
and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Commission and
Comptroller-General of Immigration also attended.
Also at the
meeting were the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar and the President of
the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oristejeafor.
Earlier, the
meeting was cancelled when the governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
failed to attend the meeting last Thursday
No comments:
Post a Comment