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By Wilfred Eya
Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) , Muhammed Abba-Gana, has condemned what he described as the vicious and sustained attack on the convoy of former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar.
The former member of the PDP Board of Trustees(BOT), said nobody would believe that such vicious and sustained attack on Atiku’s convoy can be contemplated by any group in broad daylight from the Maiduguri International Airport entrance up to the Shehu’s Palace.
In a statement he sent to Daily Sun, Abba-Gana urged the authorities to ensure the incident on November 9, 2022, in Maiduguri is investigated properly and those guilty prosecuted promptly, otherwise, Nigerians cannot pretend there is true and genuine democracy in the country.
He said: “Unfortunately for the good people of Borno State, their good hope and great expectations of free and fair and peaceful general elections in 2023 in Borno State is totally misplaced and is demonstrated by the vicious and sustained attack on the convoy of former Vice President and Presidential candidate of PDP for the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, Wazirin Adamawa.
“They were not, the political thugs, afraid of being photographed by anybody. All sorts of people have captured the evidence of this vicious attack. I learnt that of the more than one hundred people injured, three have died already. And many vehicles including buses for the V.I.P conveyance sent by the Bauchi State government on request by the PDP Borno State chapter. The authorities must ensure this incident on November 9, 2022, in Maiduguri must be investigated properly and those guilty are prosecuted promptly. Otherwise, we cannot pretend there is true and genuine democracy in Nigeria. Confidence in our institutions can only be restored by bringing the culprits to justice without delay.”
He however observed that there are sincere and genuine indications that all the relevant agencies/state actors, development partners and civil society groups are willing and assisting in applying the full weight of the law in the ugly incident. The good people of Borno State, the political parties in the state and civil society groups, he said, are ready and willing to assist the relevant authorities to bring to justice these undemocratic elements in Borno State.
He added: “The great and progressive Borno people have been deprived and put down for more than ten years by the killings, destruction and oppression of Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents. It is a great pity and tragedy if from amongst the politicians, some undemocratic elements will emerge to continue the unnecessary killings, destruction and oppression of our people just as we are hopefully coming to the end of Boko Haram insurgency and start the reconstruction and economic development of dear Borno State.
“Since 9th July, 2009, the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency, Borno State, our beloved home of peace for decades suddenly became a theatre of war; of massive killings of innocent lives and properties and destruction of valuable infrastructure. Some peace was restored after a long period of agony and uncertainty, thanks to the gallant efforts of our patriotic Nigerian military, the police and other security agencies as well as the UN and its relevant agencies, other developments partners and civil society groups.”
He regretted that for more than half of the present democratic dispensation, the good and suffering people of Borno did not enjoy much peace, law and order because of the on and off insurgency activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents.
“All the same, the good people of Borno State are hopefully looking forward with great/positive expectations to the 2023 general elections because of the renewed commitment of INEC and the security agencies to conduct peaceful, free and fair elections. Also, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces made his own commitment to free, fair and peaceful general elections in 2023”, he said.
