President Muhammadu Buhari and some other chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were on Monday absent from the 80th birthday celebration of the first National Chairman of the party held in Benin, Edo State.
Aside from President Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and all APC governors except Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Godwin Obaseki of Edo were absent at the mass held for Oyegun at St. Paul Catholic Church on Airport Road.
In his sermon, the Archbishop of Benin Diocese, Augustine Akubeze, said, “We must point out that many Nigerians are not happy about the high level of insecurity in the country. A government cannot claim to be legitimately presiding over the country when it has no control over terrorisation of Nigerians. From the North to the South, from the East to the West, from the Middle Belt to Mid-West of the country, there are constant fears among the citizens.
READ ALSO: Buhari salutes Indimi at 72
“Many Nigerians rightly feel that the present Federal Government is not listening to them. Many Nigerians feel that the issue of insecurity is one that should be primarily dealt with. The loss of lives and property of Nigerians must never be politicised. In many countries, people come together to fight terrorism; the death of Nigerians should be of great concern to every politician, irrespective of the political divide,” he said.
Akabuze also added that “we want Oshiomhole and Obaseki to come together and discuss ways of moving the state forward. We must ensure that the rest of Nigeria can see us as people capable of providing the nation with a national leader,” he added.
Other dignitaries present include the National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, and the Edo State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, and a representative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.