Northeast Still under Boko Haram’s Siege, Turaki Alleges

One of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirants, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), on Tuesday said the three frontline states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe are still under the siege of terrorist group, Boko Haram, despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s boast to have defeated them within three months of his presidency.

The aspirant, who was the chairman, Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the Northeast during President Goodluck Jonathan government, also said insecurity had expanded to virtually every part of the country with banditry in Sokoto-Zamfara and Kaduna axis besides kidnapping and the farmers-herders clashes in the Middle belt, saying Nigerians are no longer safe in their homes, streets and work places.

The PDP chieftain who spoke in Lafia while on consultation to the Nasarawa State PDP secretariat where he met with the state executive committee, elders, delegates and other members of the party, accused the security agencies of working at cross purposes without synergy yet, “and nobody is calling them to order.”

He assured Nigerians that he would provide a more effective and efficient security architecture than what the current federal government is providing to protect lives and property, if elected president in 2019.

Reminding Nigerians that the 2015 general election was held in the three frontline states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa affected by Boko Haram insurgence because the government then was able push the insurgents to the fringes of the country, the senior advocate explained that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) government had built on what was on ground and not abandon the recommendations handed over to it, Boko Haram would have probably been defeated by now.

The PDP chieftain who stressed that party lost the 2015 presidential election despite the legacy projects provided across the country, noted that the party had learned from its mistakes and is now ready to provide Nigerians with the salvation needed desperately now.

Turaki had earlier visited the Benue State PDP secretariat in Makurdi where he called for a minute silence in memory of the victims of the farmers-herdsmen clashes.

"The spirit of those killed across the country is crying for justice and unless their spirit is assuaged by arresting and prosecuting their killers, there cannot be peace," he said.

The presidential aspirant noted that PDP is at a historic juncture as providence beckons on the party to salvage Nigeria from despotism, nepotism, poverty, despondency and unwarranted killings unleashed on the country by APC.

"What the party needs to do is to present a candidate that possesses outstanding qualities which the incumbent president lacks to defeat him in 2019 in the overall interest of the country. I am that candidate," he said.

The Chairman, Benue State PDP, Sir John Mgbede, acknowledged Turaki's foresight and efforts in mobilising members to end the party's crisis in order to ensure its survival and stability.  "I want to assure you that we are with you," he told Turaki.