The All Progressives Congress has taken a swipe at President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of aiding and abetting corruption because of his re-election bid.
The opposition party singled out the recent the release of all assets of Capital Oil Limited hitherto lawfully acquired by the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, noting the action was taken with ulterior motive.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday in Abuja, the national chairman of APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, also accused Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party-led federal government of lacking sympathy for Nigerians who are dying daily.
According to Oyegun, the re-election of President Jonathan is being funded from looted fuel subsidy funds.
He also noted that the Capital Oil assets were released because the proprietor of the company indicted for fuel subsidy scam is the convener of the widely derided Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN).
The APC chairman’s speech titled “Building a new Nigeria,” reads in part:
“We see another manifestation of the PDP administration’s fondness for impunity and its disturbing tendency to cuddle corruption, in the recent release to Capital Oil Ltd all its assets hitherto lawfully acquired by AMCON as a result of its said involvement in the fuel subsidy scam.
“It is not a secret that the proprietor of Capital Oil is the coordinator or convener of the widely derided Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria that is at the forefront of the obscene and doomed campaign for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“A great nation like Nigeria should not be run with such crass disdain for decency, common sense and the rule of law.”
“The issue of security is a fundamental challenge that is facing the nation.
“Boko Haram has been with us for almost a decade and has continued to grow in strength.
“We thought that a state of emergency will give our military the freedom to operate and so, the nation supported the National Assembly when the President requested for a state of emergency.
“The state of emergency came and things have continued to degenerate. Its not logical that you ask yourself what could be wrong?
“As a matter of fact, we have, on a number of times, pleaded that an impartial international commission of Inquiry be set up to look into this Boko Haram issue.
“Is it likely that the Boko Haram issue is now being exploited for political advantage?
“The more savage it is, the more they are allowed to threaten, the more they are allowed to progress, the more the people of this nation will feel the necessity to cling to the apron string of a failed government.
“It’s all blackmail, pure and simple.
“Between you and me, I want to say this: Nigerian troops have a world wide reputation. “Nigerian troops have confronted equally savage situations in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
“They have paid with blood and dear lives to bring peace to other countries where the whole nation has broken down into total anarchy and succeeded.
“Why are we unable to succeed in our own backyard?
“Ask yourself that question.
“Who stands to benefit if three APC states are unable to effectively participate in the elections come February 15, 2015?
“Why is it that contrary to simple common sense, they have been making this endless claim that they know who those behind Boko Haram?
“A few days ago, the omnipotent Governor of Akwa Ibom State pronounced that they were not going to hand over to sponsors of Boko Haram. It is clear that the PDP knows who the sponsors of Boko Haram are.
“So, why are they not tackling them? What is stopping them from arraigning them before the court of law? In fact, Nigerians will help them tear the people to pieces so long as there is proof, reasonable proof.
“In any conflict situation, when a town is captured, you are told the level of destruction, the number of death on all sides. How come Mubi could be captured without a single shot being fired?
“How come our troops have been withdrawn from Mubi? How come the security agencies were not in Mubi? Who is benefiting from all of these? Please ask yourself why?
“My take on this is that some people are gaining politically from the continuation of this crisis in the North East. Why can that be? Is it the APC or the PDP? Are we in control of the security forces?
“If you want me to pronounce it, let them get and wipe out all the savages that have turned the North East into a grave yard. Everyday, we hear that our troops are not adequately armed.
“What is happening to the resources being deployed to armament? The last time, we heard about the $9.3 million and the $5.9 million carried in suit cases to a South Africa to buy arms.
“We are a sovereign nation. We can bring into this country plane and ship load of arms from China, from Russia and even the South Africa itself through legal means.
“So, why must you carry suit cases of dollars to South Africa to buy arms? What was the intention?
“For whom were the arms to be purchased meant or was it a simple act of money laundering or was it buying arms for reasons that may even have to do with the 2015 elections?
“Up till today, we have not been told who were in that plane even though the government has taken ownership of the money. Who were the agents that were going to buy these arms?
“We are in a terrible situation and I hope that the people of this country and the media will, like in the days of the June 12 saga, stand up bravely even though those were military times.
“But it looks like civilian dictatorship is even more dangerous than military dictatorship.
“What are we going to do differently? Our troops will not abandon their positions, but will fight back. We will build up reasonable intelligence.
“How can suicide bomber get all the way to Niger? It means that these people are operating all over the place. Where is our intelligence service?
“What we will do is to make the system work, to make the system function and responsive to the situation on ground and not probably ask troops to withdraw and hand over the barracks and what is left of the armoury.
“When these people are coming, they come with tanks and don’t walk on foot and so, they are not gorillas. Whether we like it or not, what is going on is a conventional warfare.
“So, why does our government want four more years waiting until you re-elect them before they set up this special force? How long does it take to train that force,? Oyegun queried.
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