Investigate sponsors of ‘Jagaban Soldiers’, Atiku tells security agencies, international community

 Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said the introduction of militia into the nation’s democratic lexicon portends huge danger while calling on the intelligence and security agencies, election observers as well as the international community to investigate sponsors of “Jagaban Soldiers.”

 

Atiku also warned against the development where a serving cabinet minister of President Muhammadu Buhari is abusing his previlege by bullying and intimidating an institution of government.

 

Addressing a world press conference, Sunday in Abuja, the Atiku Presidential Campaign Council in a statement signed by Director, Strategic Communication, Bashorun Dele Momodu, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, Spokesperson Presidential Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, Special Assistant, Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu and Spokesperson Presidential Campaign Council, Charles Aniagwu said, “Recently the presidential candidate of APC via his agents has created a militia called “Jagaban Soldiers” and “Batalions” for the alleged purposes of executing his political agenda which could have a wider implication to the peaceful conduct of elections and the human rights of the citizens of Nigeria.

 

“Only God knows what their plans are, but it is predictable because the militia was created shortly after the leaked video of the candidate of APC in London calling on his followers and members of APC to embark of widespread violence towards the election. The video has been in the public domain.

 

“Also shortly after his declaration,  violence has visited several states by members of APC on opposition in rallies, homes, streets etc. The creation of militia has never happened in the history of politics in Nigeria until now. We call on Nigeria’s security and intelligence platforms to investigate and where necessary arrest all those involved including the presidential candidate of APC.

 

“We also call on the domestic and international election observers majority of them are already here in Nigeria. We also call on the ECOWAS, US, UK, European Union and other development partners to look into this obvious threats to the peaceful conduct of elections,” the spokespersons noted.

 

The minister of state for Labour and Employment, who also doubles as the Chief Spokesperson for the Tinubu Presidential Campaign, Festus Keyamo recently dragged Atiku to court over alleged corruption while in office, but in his response, Atiku through his spokesperson said, “You will recall that recently a serving minister of APC government has written a letter to agencies of the government who are the same members of the executive branch of government and demanded that in 72 hours they should prosecute a presidential candidate of PDP (Atiku Abubakar).

 

“In their press conference they bragged about their powers and control of the law enforcement. He, whilst serving as a a cabinet member and campaign spokesman uses the tax payers money and official privilege and powers to heavily compromise the agencies of government. This is even coming amidst the widespread allegation of corruption involving the minister and the N52 billion approved to his ministry for empowerment of Nigerians in 774 LGA. The National Assembly had called for investigation of how the project was executed and until now the issue has not been told to the Nigerian people.

 

“This singular conduct has brought the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to disrepute and threatening the legacy he said he will leave behind. It is believed now that President Buhari who recently was reported as saying cabinet members should focus on governance and not be involved in the campaign has since made a U-turn and task on his cabinet members to influence the agencies of government in favour of APC.

 

“Members of the opposition are reported to be increasingly invited by law enforcement for one question or the other in order to weaken the opposition. We call on the president to sack the minister of state for labour and employment forthwith for using official position funded by tax payer’s money to interfere with the conduct of a free, fair and credible elections. We also call on the president to read the riots act to agents of the government from interfering with this election. Any effort to intimidate opposition is an effort to interfere with the conduct of a peaceful elections,” they added.

 

Atiku also warned against increasing threats to life allegedly by members of All Progressives Congress who draw their strength from the declaration by the presidential candidate in London that members should at all cost grab, snatch and run with his mandate.

 

“Personally I fear for my life from the various threats i get from the candidate and his campaign. If anything happens to my life, the nation and international community should hold Tinubu and his campaign responsible.”

 

 

In another development, Vice-Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta, Sen Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, said general acceptance of the party across the country was an indication that Nigerians were truly tired of the inept All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.

 

Speaking to journalists on Sunday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, shortly after inspecting preparations at the facility, venue of the Presidential Rally in the state on Tuesday, Okowa said that PDP would provide Nigerians with all-inclusive and purposeful leadership that the country yearns for.

 

He said that the warm reception and support PDP had across the country showed that Nigerians had become optimistic about the need for positive change, adding that the party was determined to rescue the nation and deliver good governance to the people.

 

He said that the party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, being an experienced politician knew the path to Nigeria’s recovery and would work with him and other citizens to recover, reset and rebuild the country.

 

According to him, Nigerians are already tired if the APC-led government and we are very much aware of what the situation is in this country.

 

“What we are seeing today is not the Nigeria that we dreamt about with the high level of insecurity and the disunity amongst the people and the fact that we cannot trust ourselves anymore because of the non-inlcusiveness in government, that obviously is not the Nigeria we thought about.

 

“The economy is in great shambles and we believe that it will take our administration because surely by the grace of God we will be there, its going to take us a lot of work, working also with Nigerians to get ourselves out of where we are at the moment.

 

“The economy is already definitely messed up but we believe that by God’s grace and with the programme that we have we can take Nigerians out of where we are to the new process of rebuilding our great nation,” he said.

 

The Vice-Presidential candidate said the party also believes that for the nation to function properly, the issue of restructuring and devolution of powers to states and local governments must be taken seriously.

 

“This is important because the more resources and the more powers and activities at the local and state levels, the more Nigerians can actually grow while competing with each other.

 

“We also believe in a private sector led economy and in so doing we must provide the enabling environment and that enabling environment is not what it is today.

 

“There are lots of things that would be done and I believe that Nigerians have already seen that the APC-led government has not performed and we have been so welcomed across 20 states that we have visited.

 

“The reception has been very very good and we still have a lot of work to be done to let Nigerians know exactly what the situation is and the pathway to recovery.

 

“We believe that Atiku Abubakar is a very experienced man in government and the private sector and we believe that with his level of experience and capacity working along with myself and other Nigerians including the Organised Private Sector, the youths and the women folk, we can turn things around for the country.

 

“If we all work truthfully together in a government that will be purposeful and all-inclusive we believe that we would be able to rescue and recover Nigeria from where it is today,” he stated.

 

On preparations for the rally Okowa expressed satisfaction with the arrangements at the venue stressing that the party would have a very successful rally on Tuesday January 24.