The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the Buhari Presidency to immediately respond to comments by the Chairman of Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, that the Buhari administration’s under-funding of the military is responsible for the persistent security challenges in the nation under its watch.
In the same vein, the party has asked Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state to come clean on his alleged connections with marauders and bandits ravaging his state, following his attempt to politicise the issue by claiming that opposition elements were behind the banditry in the state.
PDP stated these in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Wednesday.
The party described as worrisome, the comments by Senator Ndume, who on a national television on Tuesday night, restated his position that the Buhari administration was not adequately funding the military.
The PDP noted that Senator Ndume’s comments places a huge burden of explanation at the doorstep of the Buhari Presidency, saying it has failed on all fronts to secure the nation, leading to the escalation of banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other acts of violence in various parts of the country.
The party said it is equally distressing that President Muhammadu Buhari had failed to lead from the front as he promised in addition to failure to heed the demands by Nigerians to change his service chiefs and inject new blood into the nation’s security architecture.
The PDP, in berating Governor Masari expressed concerns that the governor resorted to playing politics with the lives of Nigerians in Katsina state by blaming imaginary political rivals, when it is public knowledge that he knows the bandits and have been having dealings with them.
The party however observed that Governor Masari’s comments had also escalated public apprehension over his government’s alleged complicity in the banditry ravaging the state.
“Nigerians can recall that Governor Masari reportedly have some connections with the bandits and even held a much publicized ceasefire agreement meeting with them in September 2019, where the bandits reportedly stated that their grievance was alleged maltreatment by authorities in Katsina state.
“Nigerians can also recall that Governor Masari, in June 2020, announced that his peace agreement with the bandits has collapsed because, according to him, the bandits breached the agreement which his administration had with them.
“Our party therefore urges Governor Masari to come clean on his connections with the bandits and stop pointing accusing fingers on imaginary political rivals, apparently to divert public attention from deeper issues relating to banditry in his state.
“The PDP urged security agencies not to be distracted by Governor Masari’s comments, which is ostensibly to cover for his failures in ensuring security in the state.
“The PDP counseled Governor Masari to look for excuses elsewhere as no opposition group is behind the banditry in the state or any part of the country for that matter,” the statement read.