APC accuses FG of playing politics with Chibok girls' plight
(Nigeria )
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the President Goodluck Jonathan
administration of seeking to negotiate the timing of the release of the Chibok
girls to create a maximum public relations boost for itself, rather than out of
a genuine concern for the girls who are now in their sixth month in captivity.
APC in a statement in London
on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the
clearest evidence of the government's manipulation of the girls' release came
during President Goodluck Jonathan's recent visit to New York to attend the United Nations
General Assembly.
''Apparently assured, somehow, that the girls were about to
be released, the Administration had set up an elaborate publicity event in New
York, rented the necessary crowd and booked back-to-back interviews with the
international media to enable the President to luxuriate in the girls' release.
This event was billed for the five-star
''Nigerians will remember that on September 23, the military
announced, on Twitter, the imminent release of the girls, only to retract the
statement shortly thereafter. In the intervening period, thousands of
'supporters' of the President had gathered at the Pierre Hotel
to welcome the President after the release of the girls, while media interviews
had been booked for him.
''Such an occasion required prior organisation, and
therefore prior knowledge by both the government and attendees of the timing of
any release of the girls. This whole episode was timed to also coincide with
President Jonathan’s speech to the UN General Assembly on the following day -
September 24, and to secure maximum advantage for the government. Somehow, the
whole process collapsed like a pack of cards, to the chagrin of those seeking
to exploit the innocent girls for political advantage,'' it said.
APC condemned the shameless politicization of the plight of
the Chibok girls, saying since the incompetence of the Jonathan Administration
led to the abduction of the girls in the first instance, it must not seek to
make political capital out of their release.
''What should be paramount is securing the release of the
girls as soon as possible, not securing their release to fit with a schedule
that benefits Goodluck Jonathan politically. For the girls, their parents and
indeed all good people of Nigeria ,
this abduction saga has been a nightmare. It is time for it to end,'' the party
said.
It said the same Jonathan Administration that rebuffed appeals
from well-meaning Nigerians to negotiate the release of the girls in their
early days in captivity has suddenly swung into feverish action, sending its
cronies to negotiate with the abductors and even expressing the readiness to
swap the Boko Haram commanders for the girls.
''We believe the government should do whatever it takes to
secure the safe release of the girls. We believe nothing is too much to do to
get the girls back home safely and bring the much-needed relief to their
parents and families. But we suspect the government's sudden efforts, which is
undoubtedly aimed at giving a boost to President Jonathan's candidacy for next
year's presidential election.
''This is most unconscionable, most exploitative and
blatantly shameless. It confirms what we have been saying all along that the
Jonathan Administration knows more about the Boko Haram insurgency than it has
admitted, and that the Administration is exploiting the insurgency for the
President's re-election. Decent Nigerians are undoubtedly scandalized at this
exploitative and deceitful behaviour of their government, and it must stop
forthwith,'' APC said.
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