PDP: Secondus lambast Presidency, Bello over illegal Arms Importation

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed fears that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may have a hand in the military equipment allegedly illegally imported by Kogi State’s Governor Yahaya Bello.

The opposition party is worried that “the linking of the exposed illegal importation of military equipment to APC interests, particularly in Kogi State, is revealing and places a heavy question on the doorsteps of the Presidency and the ruling party.”

The PDP said Nigerians have been wondering how weapons and other military equipment get into the hands of marauders, who have been ravaging the nation, adding that this discovery could be an unfolding clue for which an open investigation must be conducted.

It also expressed fears that the development could be part of the alleged plot by the APC to compromise the nation’s security system and set the stage for the intimidation of Nigerians during the 2019 general election to push their desperate but ill-lucked re-election bid.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP tasked the Presidency and military high command to immediately come out with explanations to Nigerians on how APC’s Governor Yayaha Bello allegedly secured the permission to import military equipment, which function is exclusively under the purview of the Presidency and the military.

“From the reports so far, it appears that we are now having a clue on how weapons and other military equipment being used by marauders and criminals to ravage and murder our citizens are illegally sneaked into the country and by which interest.

“Nigerians now know that some persons and officials linked with APC interests have been playing roles in compromising the security of our nation by smuggling in military equipment for unknown groups ostensibly to carry out evil activities.

“We hold that this is a very critical matter and as a pro-people party, committed to the well being of Nigerians, urge the Presidency and the military to quickly offer explanations to Nigerians on who issued the end user certificate for the importation of the said military equipment into our country.”

The PDP, in another statement by its national publicity secretary on Saturday, also called on the Nigerian military to steer clear of politics.

The party was reacting to the statement by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on the possibility of the military taking over power in Nigeria following the current level of insecurity and proliferation of firearms in the country.

Both the military and the ruling APC have continued to lambast Ekweremadu for contemplating on anything of such happening.

But the PDP said in its statement that the military should not allow itself to be dragged into partisan politics, particularly the politics being played with the patriotic call by the Ekweremadu, on the APC-led Federal Government and some of its State Governors to desist from endangering the nation’s democracy.

The PDP faulted the Defence Headquarter’s claim that Ekweremadu’s “statement may appear cautionary and sincere in the atmosphere of discourse, it is however derogatory to the army used in the expression and by extension to the armed forces of Nigeria”.

The party said: “The PDP holds the institution of the Nigerian military in high esteem and we advise that it should not allow itself to be dragged into desperate attempts by the failed APC administration to criminalize every contrary view or attempt to call it to order.

“Every student of Nigeria’s history knows that executive excesses such as sponsored political violence, intimidation of opposition and dissent voices, human rights abuses, disrespect for court orders and disregard for the separation of powers and rule of law, as we have today in Nigeria, have always been the bane of the nation’s democracy.