Northern Elders Forum, others ‘shedding crocodile tears’ –Presidency
The Presidency has faulted the recent communiqué issued by some ethnic and sectional groups assembled in Abuja and described the action as the shedding of “crocodile tears” by selfish leaders.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.
He added that the affected leaders felt alienated after a “transparent and accountable system halted their disproportionate survival on resources of the state”.
The communiqué issued by the leaders of some socio-cultural organizations led by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and some ethnic and sectional groups had accused the Muhammadu Buhari administration of incompetence in handling the security situation in the country.
But the Presidency urged Nigerians to ignore ”the unholy alliance by these groups who are stepping up their assault on the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration as it expands its national dominance and moves closer to securing an outright victory in the elections next year.”
The presidential aide also faulted widespread position that President Buhari is not doing anything about insecurity in the country.
He said, ”The Presidency refers all the purveyors of falsehood to a State House press release published a few days ago and signed by Special Adviser to the President, Femi qsecial Forces personnel.
He added that President Buhari had also approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army and a Police Area Command in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up security in response to the banditry affecting the area.
”We advise Nigerians to read Adesina’s statement if they haven’t yet, or re-read it for better understanding of the efforts to ensure peace in the country.
”It is sad and misleading for anyone to say that President Buhari had not responded to the security challenges in the country.
”No one can honestly say that President Buhari is doing nothing about security.
”It’s just a fake news item being peddled by selfish politicians with vested interests in keeping Nigerians incensed, and it risks being entrenched as reality if we don’t educate ourselves with the truth,” he added.
