The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku
Abubakar , says he welcomes whatever reasonable measures the Federal
Government takes to put an end to the needless loss of lives and
property in Zamfara and Katsina states , but warns that imposing an
emergency rule in the two states can only address the symptoms rather
than the cause of the current security crisis facing the North- West
states .
Reacting to the call by Governor Abdul – Aziz Yari for
the imposition of a state of emergency in Zamfara State, Atiku said in a
statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication , Mr. Phrank
Shaibu , that a fundamental solution must be sought to the crisis to
ensure lasting peace .
The statement said the deal being struck
between the Federal Government and the governors of Zamfara and Katsina
states reflected the desperation of the All Progressives Congress – led
Federal Government to ‘’ capture ’’ the states at all cost during next
month ’ s general elections .
“ The deal, cut at a meeting in the
Presidential Villa in Abuja, is simple : The Federal Government will
impose a state of emergency in Zamfara , to provide a window for the APC
to field a candidate for the governorship election in the state having
failed to do so within the time frame stipulated by the ( Independent
National Electoral ) Commission , ’’ Shaibu said in a statement issued
in Abuja on Thursday , adding that “ everything that is required for
this manipulation has been provided by the leadership of the party . ”
Atiku
said the implication of the plot was that even President Buhari , ‘ for
all his sweet words on ensuring free and fair elections and avoiding
unethical measures to win at all cost , ’ was ready to do anything just
to ‘’ capture ’’ Zamfara and Katsina states for his party .
The
PDP presidential candidate , however , said although the plot was meant
to put his party at a disadvantage , the ‘ PDP would not lose any sleep
over the ignoble deal, since the battle to rescue Nigeria from
incompetence and bad leadership would be fought by the people themselves
and not by the Governor of Zamfara or President Buhari ’ s hatchet men.
’
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