The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the casualness with which the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo dismissed the alarming spate of kidnapping in the country further confirms that the Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government has no feelings for the pain and suffering of Nigerians.
The vice president had while addressing Nigerians in New York on Monday alleged that spate of kidnappings in Nigeria were being exaggerated. But Osinbajo’s office later clarified his statement saying he meant “I don’t think the problem (kidnapping) is as massive as that”.
But the PDP in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, dismissal the explanation noting it was an attempt to play down on the menace as it’s being reported by the media.
According to the PDP, Prof Osinbajo clearly demonstrated that the APC and its government are not connected with the people but only pretend during electioneering.
“In dismissing the security problem, the vice president is simply telling victims of kidnapping that as far as the APC and its administration are concerned, they have not suffered enough.
“Instead of being remorseful and seeking solutions, Prof Osinbajo is rather playing on the sensibility of Nigerians by attempting to justify his comment, which has been widely condemned by citizens from all walks of life.
“Prof Osinbajo has only succeeded in showcasing President Buhari’s incompetence and failure in securing the nation. He has also ridiculed his office in the eye of the international community, who is well aware of the gravity of kidnapping and other security challenges confronting our nation.
“What has Prof Osinbajo said to the families whose breadwinners have been killed by kidnappers and many more who are still languishing in kidnappers den?
“When will the problem of kidnapping become “massive” for the APC administration when medical doctors, community heads, faith-based leaders, government officials and their relations, students, innocent school children, pregnant women and even expatriates are being kidnapped in various parts of the country?
“While our party and indeed millions of Nigerians appreciate the efforts by our security operatives in fighting this menace, despite the operational challenges imposed on them by the incompetent APC administration, the PDP insists that President Buhari must bear the blame for the persistence of the security problems”.
The opposition party claimed that this was part of the reason Nigerians, at the 2019 general election, preferred “a more capable and patriotic leader in Atiku Abubakar, who had already set out an operable blueprint to frontally confront and address the security challenges facing our nation without resorting to unnecessary blame game”.
