Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday described the Council of State’s recent declaration that the Federal Government would end the Boko Haram insurgency by December 2014 as “unrealistic.” He said that for the target to be taken seriously, it should have been delivered by President Goodluck Jonathan or the Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Alex Badeh, and not the governors of Niger, Babangida Aliyu; Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio; and Enugu, Sullivan Chime. The governors, who were in company with the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), had spoken on behalf of the council after its meeting in Abuja on Thursday. However, the governor said, “From which position were they giving that deadline? Some serious people should have done it. “The Chief of Defence Staff should be the one if the President is absent, but a governor is only controlling a small portion of the country. Of course, there is no serious security outfit under him; may be somebody sent them.” Kwankwaso further dismissed the fundraiser for victims of insurgency, saying it was “not a durable means of solving the problem. Government must come with a marshal plan on truly helping the North-East through a more formidable means of raising internal finances not begging or asking for help.” He said as it is now, Jonathan’s administration is totally confused on what to do about the insurgency, because the President had failed to deal with the challenge of insecurity in the country. “He cannot even go and see his people in Chibok. He sits in Abuja only concerned about re-election while lives continue to be wasted on a daily basis,” he said. He also accused Jonathan of reducing his administration to a provincial one. “As it is today the President has succeeded in reducing his government to more of a provincial one rather than a unique federal one that is concerned about the wellbeing of the overall Nigerian. “Today, President Goodluck Jonathan has turned the (Presidential) Villa into a hiding place for the those who are perpetuating stealing and corrupt practices in Nigeria than giving sound and excellent leadership,” he declared. He said so many cases had clearly shown how unserious the President is in dealing with insecurity, corrupt practices and the insurgency. The governor noted that rather than produce a clear blueprint on how to end the insurgency, Jonathan was busy raising donations for victims of insurgency. He said, “Today you have rather a President who is so powerful in dealing with the opposition rather than dealing with the insurgency. They went to Ekiti State with all the forces and more like an armed robbery mission, they ensured victory for PDP. As if that was not enough, they went to Adamawa State and forced everybody into making sure that Nyako was removed at gunpoint. “And they have forgotten that security is supposed to be for the welfare of all Nigerians, including the opposition. But they are now using them (security agents) against the opposition, which is a dangerous precedent, because if it is the Army, it is the Nigerian Army not anybody’s village Army. If it is the police, they are the Nigeria Police not Villa Police and they should be seen to work for the interest of the country at large not anybody, no matter who he is.”
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 09:49:52 +0000
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