…Plans 5 million man protest
From: Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The South East Chapter of Atiku Solidarity Movement 2019, on Wednesday, took a swipe on a chieftain of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Chief Paul Unongo, following his allegation that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is a major financier of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association whose herders are allegedly behind the recent killings in Benue State.
South East Co-coordinator of Atiku Solidarity Movement 201,9 and National Organising Secretary of Dynamic Youths of Nigeria (DYON), Obi Egbeji, who spoke to reporters, in Awka, on Wednesday, described the statement credited to Unongo as ‘unbecoming of a man who should be an elder statesman’.
He insisted that the group would take up full legal action against the Arewa leader and also embark on a five million-man protest if he (Unongo) fails to apologise the former vice president after seven days.
“It is indeed unfortunate that a man who should be respected as an elder statesman choose to condescend to the level of a fifth columnist and no pride for himself as a rumour monger by making malicious and undignified statements against one of the pillars of our country’s democratic process in the name of Atiku Abubakar”.
“It is on record that President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against terrorism and wanton killings has been unimpressive and smacks of an administrator who appears to be over whelmed by the challenges of his office.
“Instead of Unongo addressing the poor state of security occasioned by the failure of the APC led government to protect lives and property, he has chosen to engage in name calling and false alarm”.
Egbeji also announced that the body has issued a seven day ultimatum to Unongo upon which to apologise to Atiku and withdraw his statement or face legal action against them.
“We hereby issue a seven day ultimatum to Unongo for him to apologise to Atiku and also withdraw his statements, because we have concluded discussions with our legal team to sue him for slander and defamation of character”.
“We shall also carry out a five million man protect against Unongo and his co-travelers in their shameless enterprise of peddling falsehood to the detriment of innocent Nigerians,” the group noted.