Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to stop blaming everyone but himself for the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
The Governor made the comments after a media publication released yesterday documented the utterances of President Jonathan at a PDP rally in Bauchi.
President Jonathan said at the rally, “It is shameful for a governor who has stayed in power in his state for up to six years or more, to come to me and talk about bad leadership when you have youths in your state, more than half of whom have not attended primary school and you are doing nothing about it.
“State governors should be ashamed of themselves when our children do not go to primary and secondary schools and they decide to carry arms.”
However speaking through his spokesperson, Mr. Ahmad Sajo, Nyako said, “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that if there is any proof of bad governance, it will be located in the way and manner the President executes his priorities and the kind of statements he and his spokespersons make.
“Governors are not and cannot be held responsible for security challenges since they have no control over security apparatus. The President is the Commander-in-Chief with powers over the Armed Forces, Police and other security agencies.”
He added: “ We do not have the resources to cover the level of sophistication displayed by the insurgents in their operations. We do not have command over the Military as to deploy them away from strategic targets of the insurgents or allow the insurgents safe passage during curfew hours.
“Our states hardly receive enough allocations to even meet our most basic needs let alone spend it carelessly. In addition, we have the added responsibility of carrying the burdens of the Federal authorities in our state. Moreover, we do not have the moral burden of missing monies not accounted for on our heads as is the case with the Federal Government.
“Nigerians should hold the Jonathan administration responsible for all the security challenges in the country including insurgency, oil theft, kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery.
“No matter what the President says or does, this government has failed Nigerians. It has turned out to be a “Government of impunity by the incompetent for the advancement of corruption.” The signs of incompetence are everywhere.”
Speaking on the allegation made by the President over lack of education for Northern children, Nyako said, “We wish to draw the attention of the President to the fact that over 800 classroom blocks were destroyed in Borno State.
“Over 2,000 classroom blocks were destroyed in Yobe State, including those belonging to the Federal Government. Recently, some classrooms were destroyed in Adamawa State as well.
“Several schools were damaged and closed down in the affected states including Federal Government colleges even though the President said his government had no responsibility for secondary education.
“The President’s persistent refusal to visit the affected states could be interpreted to mean an abdication of his constitutional responsibility to cater for the welfare and safety of the people of the zone.
“If he could go to Bauchi State on a political jamboree, why not visit Borno and Yobe states as part of his constitutional responsibility?”