APC, PDP trade blame over attack on Buhari

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Barely three days after the attack on ex-Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and their opposition counterparts in the All Progressives Congress, are still engaged in a war of words over allegations of culpability.

In separate interviews with SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja, on Friday, opposition leaders insisted the PDP-led Federal Government had a lot of questions to answer with regards to the attack on Buhari.

This is even more so that the attack was coming a few days after Buhari wrote an open letter to the President accusing him of declaring war on Nigerians.

Part of Buhari's letter read, "Our country has gone through several rough patches, but never before have I seen a Nigerian President declare war on his own country as we are seeing now.

"Never before have I seen a Nigerian President deploy federal institutions in the service of partisanship as we are witnessing now.

"Never before have I seen a Nigerian President, utilise the commonwealth to subvert the system and punish opposition, all in the name of politics."

No sooner had the attack occurred on Wednesday than the former military leader issued a statement describing the incident as a clear assassination attempt on his life.

Although he did not name those he suspected as responsible for the attack, several of his colleagues in the opposition All Progressives Congress accused the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government of culpability.

A prominent leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, did not mince words as he accused government of complicity.

He said "Instead of reaching out and paying attention. They have turned the gun on us and are manipulating and doctoring reports and stories to label us."

Speaking in a similar vein, the South East Zonal spokesman of the APC, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said Tinubu did not speak in a vacuum.

According to him, the APC leader was right to point an accusing finger where it truly belongs.

He recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had alleged in a letter that the Jonathan-led administration was training 1,000 snipers to take on those considered enemies.

Okechukwu said, "Remember the days of the National Democratic Coalition when the Abacha regime turned on Nigerians.

"The Jonathan administration has spent well over N1trillion on security which has only gotten worse ever since. You will also agree with me that the worst of Boko Haram attacks are carried out in areas where the PDP is afraid of losing.

"What happened to the Close Circuit Television project? Where has all the money spent on security gone? I agree with Tinubu on this one. No action means complicity."

But the Political Adviser to the President, Professor Ahmed Alkali, dismissed allegations levelled against the party and the Federal Government as lacking in merit.

He noted that the terror being inflicted on Nigeria and Nigerians ought to bring together all well meaning Nigerians to find a solution to it.

Alkali said, "Those making such claims are insincere. We should stop this blame game and cooperate with the government to defeat this insurgency. Security issues must not be trivialize and must not be politicized. It is a collective war."

Speaking in a similar vein, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, who spoke to one of our correspondents via telephone from Saudi Arabia, said it was wrong for anyone to accuse the President or the PDP for either the attack on Buhari or the current state of insurgency.

He said instead of accusing the party, what was required from all patriotic Nigerians was for all to join hands with the President to deal with the problem.

Jalo said terrorism was a global problem which required the support of all Nigerians for us to overcome it.

According to him, the unjustifiable loss of a single life is abominable before God.

Jalo said, "We thank Allah for sparing the life of General Buhari and we also sympathise with those who lost their loved ones in the senseless attack.

"Terrorism is a global problem and thanks be to Allah, a global approach in dealing with the problem has started.

"As I am speaking with you, the University of Medina has removed the curriculum of Jihad from the courses being taught because, it is courses like this that some extremists exploit, misinterpret and use to brainwash gullible minds to wage war on their countries and innocent people.

"It is also important that the government of Saudi Arabia our holy land should take another look at the issue of ostentatious living because rebuilding edifices around the Kabba, every two years is considered waste by a lot of Muslims and radicals use this to speak evil against our religion and our religious leaders.

"A lot more of our resources around the world should be used to reduce poverty and encourage both Islamic and modern education."

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