Nigeria: APC accuses PDP of playing dangerous politics with banditry

The ruling  All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of playing dangerous politics with banditry, especially with its penchant for turning tragic events into subjects of politicking.

APC in a statement by the National Secretary of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, yesterday, noted that “suggestions by the opposition PDP that the President Muhammadu Buhari government was insensitive to the heinous activities of bandits in parts of the country should be seen for what it is – politically motivated, callous and insensitivity to victims and our gallant troops battling to end their criminal activities”.

PDP had on Sunday accused the APC of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians, alleging connivance with bandits in what it called APC’s failure to stem the tide of killings in Sokoto, Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau and other parts of the country.

However, according to the APC, “The regrettable attempt to turn a tragic situation into an object of politicking crosses the line of political decorum.

“True to form, the PDP continues to expose its desperate politics in which all is fair, including unguarded statements mocking the travails of citizens and efforts of security services to score political points”, the ruling party added.

“The PDP playing politics with the evil activities of bandits, insurgents and other criminal rings which had their roots in PDP’s shabby handling of their criminal activities during their formative stages, has exposed PDP as unpatriotic, banal and a wobbling opposition.

“While the PDP wallows in its delusions to score cheap points, the President Buhari-led APC administration has strengthened our security services, particularly the Armed Forces through military procurement and strategic training which has led to great successes against insurgents, bandits and kidnappers.

“This include the dispatch of high-level security/assessment delegations and delivery of relief items to affected citizens by the National Disaster Management Agency NEMA. A case in point is the recent bandit attack in Sokoto State.’

‘Hours after the visit to the state by the federal delegation, our gallant Armed Forces, elements of the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force operations which neutralised dozens of the bandits and kidnappers, restoring calm in the affected area and the government of Sokoto State commendation of the Federal Government’s prompt deployment of elite troops who smoked out the bandits and eliminated many of them.

“The APC assures Nigerians that President Buhari has not and will never relent in ensuring normalcy in all parts of the country.”

Source: Vanguard