Romanus Ugwu and Ndubuisis Orji, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are locked in verbal war over assault on former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu,
The governing party, in a statement, yesterday, blamed the opposition party and its leaders for encouraging the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) for playing politics when the group raised terror group in the South East.
The governing party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, expressed regret that some of the people and organisations who openly supported IPOB in the past were raising their voices now.
“It would be recalled that the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leaders chose to play politics over a matter that called for collective patriotic actions when IPOB raised a terror group in the South East.
“It is clear that PDP and its other shortsighted co-travelers who were the main cheerleaders of IPOB owe this country an apology. IPOB hid under regional identity to perpetrate criminality having recruited some misguided elements and miscreants.
“Are we surprised by the PDP’s hypocritical reaction to the unfortunate attack on Senator Ekweremadu? No! The PDP and their leaders have acted true to type.
“This is what happens when politicians become myopic and allow narrow sentiments becloud their sense of judgement.
“We all have a responsibility to collectively rise against evil wherever we find it and in whatever guise it appears. We hope lessons have been learnt from this unfortunate incident,” he said.
However, PDP charged the APC to stop shadow-boxing and address alleged failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The PDP stated in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the ruling party of always seeking to politicise important national issues.
“It is appalling that at a time the PDP and other well-meaning Nigerians are condemning reprehensible acts and seeking for solutions, the APC is gloating and playing politics on very grave issues that borders on national security and stability.
“The PDP, therefore, demands that APC come clean on the ignoble roles it is playing in undermining our national integrity and efforts towards a stable polity.”