John Shiklam in Kaduna
The zonal leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Southern Kaduna has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of playing politics and inflaming passion over the persistent killings in the area.
Addressing a news conference monday in Kaduna, the APC zonal Chairman, Hon. Luka Shemang, flanked by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Hon. Manasseh Istifanus, and the state youth leader, Jonah Bonet, condemned the frequent attacks, killing and destruction of property in the Southern Kaduna.
He said it was unfortunate that all efforts by the state government to bring an end to the killings were being scuttled following the politicisation of the attacks by opposition politicians who are hell bent on undermining government efforts.
The APC, while condemning what it described as twisted facts by the PDP Senator representing Southern Kaduna, Danjuma La’ah, Shemang maintained that the PDP members had resorted to attacking personalities instead of joining hands to address the problem.
“We are not here to join issues with them, rather, we want to set the records straight as they affect the entire peace-loving people of Southern Kaduna and our party, the APC.
“It is pertinent to note that we all know that Southern Kaduna is going through a lot of security challenges at the moment. We want to use this medium to vehemently condemn the attacks on the precious, innocent, industrious, religious and peace-loving people of the state.
“The attacks are highly regrettable and condemnable in its entirety…” Shemang said.
While recalling that the attacks started after the 2011 post elections violence, the APC zonal leaders noted that the administration of late Governor of the state, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, had before his death, initiated a peace and reconciliatory committee made up stakeholders and security agencies to find lasting peace in Southern Kaduna.
He said unfortunately in 2012, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero who succeeded Yakowa as governor, did little or nothing about the peace efforts, and the attacks continued unabated without security measures to stem it untill Governor Nasir el-Rufai took over in 2015.
According to him, “In an effort to bring about lasting peace to the region, the present government constituted a committee chaired by Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd).
“In its report, several recommendations were made and the government swung into action to implement the recommendations that were made to the government. Among other recommendations; there was the need to hold regular security meetings in the Southern Kaduna region with major stakeholders. Several of such meetings were organised and were mostly snubbed by some perceived groups and individuals bent on poisoning the minds of our peace-loving people in a bid to discredit and undermine the efforts of the government.
“The deputy governor being the number two citizen of the state and number one political office holder from the zone deserves some respect and should be regarded with highest esteem.
“The opposition political party in Southern Kaduna and its followers are not only hell bent on undermining the effort of the government but they have resorted to blackmail of our government and our political leaders especially the governor and the deputy governor sas well as the entire APC as a political party.”
He called on opposition politicians to engage in constructive criticisms and work closely with the state government to find lasting peace.
