Former Governor of Jigawa state and presidential aspirant under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Sule Lamido has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to name the politicians behind the incessant killings in the country and bring them to justice.
Lamido was reacting to claims by the Presidency that it has the list of names of politicians who are responsible for the killings of innocent Nigerians.
“President Buhari said ‘I know those politicians, who are sponsoring these killings,’ he said so, as the Commander-In-Chief. Now, have they been arrested? Who are they? Name them. People are dying every day, and he knows the killers and they have not been arrested. You press men, please ask him (Buhari) who they are, he should arrest them,” Lamido stated.
The presidential aspirant, who spoke to journalists in his Kano residence, insisted that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) government has failed to deliver on its three-point agenda of security, economy and fighting corruption.
Lamido who said he has started consultation with PDP stakeholders across the country ahead of the convention regretted that Nigerians have suffered a lot under APC government.
According to him, “on security, you see, before it was Boko Haram, it has now gone beyond Boko Haram. It is now inter-tribal. It is between Fulani and Fulanis; it is between Hausa and Hausas, between Igbos and Igbos. In Ebonyi it is there, in Zamfara it is there and in Sokoto, it is there.
“So, you see, today, we are under siege. It means all they key security chiefs appointed by this government have failed to deliver. Nigerians are now sleepless, they are watching, they have so many things in their minds—whether to go for what they know is safety, security and prosperity or to go for this culture of violence which is now defiling Nigeria as a country.”
Lamido further stated that, “the three factors that they used during their campaign—economy, security and fighting corruption are all zero.
“How on earth can Buhari go to Danjuma Goje’s house to beg him—Goje who has been arraigned in court! And Buhari preferred to go to him, by that, the Judge should be very very careful, because it means they cannot convict Goje.
“If Oshiomole after all these noise and ranting will go to Saraki and Tambuwal and beg them, after calling PDP thieves and what have you, which means their fight against corruption is defeated.”
Speaking on the just concluded Ekiti governorship election, Lamido said, “the election process in Ekiti was heavily militarized; and I know it shouldn’t be a surprise because we are being led by a former military General who was also a former military Head of State, who was known for arresting political leaders.
“Number two, you see, he (Buhari) only says politicians are this, politicians are that, which means he is not a politician.
“So, I think the election in Ekiti, to me, if it is the wish of the people that is announced as the result, I have no quarrels with it. I hope, also, that this is not the kind of thing we are going to experience in 2019 elections because it will spell doom for democracy.
“You see, even before the election, there was this acrimony, the atmosphere was very tensed. You see, sending 30, 000 police men in Ekiti for a governorship election is very worrisome.
“From what I heard, they said they sent 30, 000 policemen, we don’t know the number of other security agencies and para-military. If in 2019, they are sending 30, 000 police men to conduct elections in each state, that means 30, 000 times 36, including Abuja—this is very curious.
“If this was how that election was conducted, that means they instilled fear in the people. To me, the election has come and gone, it has been conducted and the winner has been declared, I certainly hope that it is the wish of the people that was declared. Let it be the wish of the people that is being declared, simple.”
He expressed confidence that PDP will reclaim power in 2019, adding that PDP has learnt from its past mistakes.