on President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina and Bauchi as part of its plan to demonise the opposition and force a postponement of next month’s general elections.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the coordinated hysterical reactions to the attacks by the Presidency, Senate President David Mark and the leadership of the Ijaw nation have exposed the sponsors of the attacks.
It said those who have gone into a frenzy in condemning the attacks should direct their anger at the PDP, which hired the hoodlums who attacked the President in Katsina and Bauchi and gave them brooms to make them look like APC supporters.
”Information is now in the public domain that these attacks were self inflicted, with the aim of demonising the APC and instigating retaliatory attacks in the southern states, thus precipitating chaos which the PDP and the Presidency will then use as an excuse for the postponement of the elections.
“Apparently they did not envisage that the information about their complicity over the attacks will leak to the public. It is common knowledge that the security around the President is such that no hoodlum can come close enough to pelt him with stones,” APC said.
The party said the Presidency distorted facts when it accused the APC of breaching the Abuja peace accord that was signed by the presidential candidates of the various political parties, saying the PDP and its band of thugs did not allow the ink with which the agreement was signed to dry before they started breaching it.
“The second attack on our offices in Rivers took place after the pact was signed, just like the serial attacks on our supporters in Sokoto, organised by a PDP stalwart in the city and aided and abetted by the police. The death-wish-for-Buhari advert by the incautious Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in the name of President Jonathan, which could have triggered unimaginable violence if not properly managed by the APC, also breached the agreement.
“Where was the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, when all these breaches were taking place?
Not once did he issue a statement to say ‘this nonsense must stop’.
”Where was the Senate President, David Mark, when these breaches were taking place? He was never on record as condemning the attacks on the APC offices and its supporters or the irresponsible and downright repugnant advert by Gov. Fayose. Are those in the opposition not Nigerians who also deserve the care and attention of the nation’s number three citizen?’
APC also slammed the leadership of the Ijaw nation for vowing retaliation over the sponsored attacks on the President in the North, and threatening the very existence of Nigeria if President Jonathan is not elected into a second term, wondering where in the world threats have ever won an election.
”The last time we checked, elections are won and lost by the votes of the people, not by infantile threats. The last time we checked, no one is guiltier over attempts to undermine the oneness of Nigeria than some self-styled leaders of the Ijaw nation. Had they been duly prosecuted and punished in accordance with the laws of the land, they would not have dared to continue threatening the nation’s existence, even as those saddled with the responsibility of preventing such threats look on,” the party said.
APC appealed to its members and supporters nationwide to continue to maintain peace in the face of provocations, in order not to play into the hands of the PDP and the Jonathan Administration who it said are incredibly terrified of the forthcoming elections and will do anything to make sure it did not hold.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Maiduguri said the Federal Government would give total support to security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
Jonathan made the promise when he visited the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn-Garbai, in his palace in Maiduguri during his campaign.
The president reiterated his administration’s commitment in ensuring that the abducted Chibok Girls returned home.
The president noted that millions of Nigerians had been displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency and many other citizens of the country were taking refuge in Niger and Cameroon.
“The idea of Nigerians thinking that the Boko Haram insurgency was a political thing promoted by my administration was totally wrong because politics can never be worth of the blood of any Nigerian.
“I feel pained because it is not something you can handle yourself unless you use the security operatives.
“However, Nigerians must be rest assured that my government will end the Boko Haram and the people will go back home.
“We will continue to give our support to the Internally Displaced Persons through the Victims Support Fund Intervention to ease hardship of the people.
Jonathan also promised to embark on relevant projects that would impact on the lives of the people in the state as soon the insurgency ends.
According to him, the Federal Government would commit $1bn (N155bn) to replace basic and social amenities destroyed by Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
Earlier, Ibn-Garbai, said that Borno was known as a home of peace and hoping that the present challenges facing the state would be a thing of the past soon.
He appealed to Jonathan to install the 330KVA power line from Gombe, complete the abandoned federal housing project as well as the Biu Dam.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to consider the reopening of the Maiduguri International Airport for passengers’ flight.
