Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the call from former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma, urging Nigerians to defend themselves against attacks from Fulani herdsmen, describing the comment as an invitation to anarchy.
Responding to the statement credited to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) describing the ruling party as grossly incompetent and deceitful, APC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said that the PDP was talking “rubbish”.
“Why should we waste our time responding to the same statement from the PDP calling APC and the government incompetent and deceitful,” Bolaji fumed, adding: “That is what they say all the time, that is the only thing they can say all the time and they don’t do anything other than say that. So, should I be responding to them each time they open their mouth and say rubbish?
“As I said earlier, we are not going to be responding to the same comment from the PDP. Their spokesperson is immature. We are not expecting anything less from a man who opens his mouth and talks anyhow,” Bolaji said.
On Danjuma’s comment, the ruling party spokesperson said: “My take on it is very clear. He accused the Military of being partisan and I cannot comment on it because the military is more than capable of responding to that.
“But, my response on his call that people should take up arms and defend themselves is to say that such statement is very wrong. It is a call to anarchy and we are not in support of it. If the security forces are not doing well, we have the responsibility to call on them to do more.
“If we suspect that they have abandoned their roles, we have the responsibility to request more from them. But for him to tell people to take up arms and defend them is condemnable and a call to anarchy. We are not in support of it and I feel that someone of his caliber should not be making that kind of statement,” the spokesman said.