By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the recent South African xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians, saying the barbaric attacks was a failure of leadership in South Africa.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement issued on Tuesday called on the African National Congress (ANC) to urgently step in.
He said the recent attacks was completely at variance with what ANC stood for, adding that the ANC-led government could no longer pretend about this obvious contradiction.
Issa-Onilu expressed sadness by these unwarranted attacks, stressing that Nigeria deserves better from South Africa.
He noted that it was too early for South Africans to forget their country’s history, noting that many of the key players in the struggle against apartheid are still alive and active in the country’s national affairs.
According to him, We therefore cannot understand why there seems to be a conspiracy of silence on their part.
Issa-Onilu stated: “The barbaric attack on citizens of other countries points to a failure of leadership. South African leaders cannot exonerate themselves from this cowardly act. We call on the South African ruling party.
“The violence being meted to Nigerians under ANC calls to question the very essence of the struggle against apartheid in which Nigeria was a frontline ally of South Africa. How can those who supported you and made huge sacrifices for your freedom become fair games to be murdered in cold blood?
“Perhaps there is a disconnect between the younger and older generations of South Africa. The older generation cannot sit back while the uninformed youths and some South African public officials in their quest for inordinate populism destroy what we collectively achieved over several decades of sacrifice and brotherliness.”
