Jonathan, Buhari Inciting Nigerians To Violence – Sule Lamido By either action or omission, both President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari are inciting Nigerians to violence, ahead of the coming general elections, according to the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido. Lamido believes that both the President and Gen. Buhari are indirectly, if not directly, encouraging their prominent supporters to make provocative and incendiary statements that could set the nation ablaze before, during or after the elections. Jonathan is the presidential candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the main challenger. Lamido, who addressed a political gathering in Dutse, the state capital, at the weekend, argued that both Jonathan and Buhari should be personally held responsible if the elections turn out violent. He expressed support for a recent statement credited to former Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi,that the two presidential candidates be made to sign a bond that they should be held responsible if the elections turn violent. The governor specifically decried the failure of both candidates to check the inciting statement of their followers. Some prominent Northern leaders had reportedly declared that there would be violence if power does not return to their region by 2015. A pro-Jonathan Ijaw leader, Mujahid Asar- Dokubo had countered, pledging that his people would help shed blood if violence breaks out and if President Jonathan is not allowed to contest. The Rivers State Governor, and Director General of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign organization, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was recently reported to have threatened that his party would form a parallel government if the election is rigged in favour of the ruling party. Last week, President Jonathan called for peace and urged politicians not to encourage violence or threaten to disrupt the peace if they lose the election. In reaction, the APC accused the president of only speaking right but not acting right. The opposition drew attention to some provocative statements of the president’s aides and supporters which were not known to have drawn public condemnation from Jonathan. “As our leaders, both personalities should caution their supporters to guard their utterances not to allow such incitements to drift the country into chaos,” he said, Lamido added that such utterances “do not augur well for the country’s political stability, nor its development”.Addressing at a rally of the PDP for the presentation of its flags to candidates vying for different elective posts under its umbrella, Lamido said that the statements credited to some prominent members of both the PDP and the APC were worrisome. He said: “It is disheartening for any responsible citizen to allow such unscrupulous statements. It ought to be condemned by all and sundry for the sake of peace, and oneness of the country as a corporate entity”. According to Governor lamido, Nigeria is bigger than anybody’s personal ambition, and “we won’t succumb to either sectional nor religious politics or bigotry, or personal agenda aimed at destabilising the corporate existence of our great country.” He drew the attention of both leaders to the 2011 post-election violence in which massive destruction of lives and property was recorded and said: “We must strive hard not to allow a recurrence”. He advised the PDP candidates not to base their ambition on the desire to accumulate ill-gotten wealth, rather for service of humanity. Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, Mal. Aminu Ringim, the Jigawa state gubernatorial candidate of the PDP assured Lamido that he will sustain the legacies of the governor if given the mandate. “I will like to assure Jigawa indigenes that if given the mandate, we will run an open door, a people-oriented government devoid of any ill-motives. We have articulated meaningful programmes that are aimed at uplifting the well-being of our people.” All presented the PDP flags were the PDP’s candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives. Among them is a female aspirant, the immediate past Minister of Education, Professor Rukayyat Rufai.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 11:24:48 +0000
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