Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, told the Federal Government to deploy the soldiers reserved for election duties to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in north eastern part of the country.
ThisDay reports that Buhari gave the advice at a meeting with stakeholders of Ogoni ethnic nationality at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, while warning against the use of military personnel in February elections.
The former head of state argued that if those soldiers were deployed to fight Boko Haram, it would bring an end to insurgency in the country, adding that it would not be in the interest of the country to deploy soldiers in the conduct of election.
“I have made this comment before and the federal government refused to react to it; the number of soldiers, policemen and officers of the State Security Services they deploy during elections, if they had deployed them to Borno and Yobe States to fight Boko Haram sect, by now, would have been history. Boko Haram is not a religious group; Boko Haram is not an ethnic group; Boko Haram is a terrorist group. They attack people in schools, they attack people in churches, they attack people in mosques, they attack people in markets, and they shout ‘Allahu Akbah! No religion rejoices over the blood of innocent people,” Buhari said.
The APC presidential candidate promised to complete all abandoned federal government projects in the area if elected president in February.
“The decision of the federal government to abandon the Bodo-Bonny road project is a clear case of incompetence and social injustice. It amounts to neglect at the highest level. A lot is taking from Ogoniland and relatively, a little is brought back in return. I assure you that an APC-led federal government will fulfil all its promises in Ogoniland,” he said.
Buhari also promised to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on the polluted Ogoni environment when he becomes the president. He also promised to fight terrorism, corruption and other forms of crimes if elected president in February 14.
The APC presidential candidate was accompanied by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as well as former Governors Segun Oni and Niyi Adebayo, among others.
Speaking at the event, Amaechi challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to tell Nigerians and the world in general the reason behind his refusal to implement the UNEP report on Ogoni environment, if not for his hatred for the people of the ethnic nationality.
“Let President Jonathan tell us why he has not allowed the implementation of the UNEP report. He has no reason. The money to be spent in the implementation of the report is not his; the money belongs to Shell,” Amaechi said.
Meanwhile, the senator representing Rivers South-east senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, in an address read on behalf of Ogoni people, disclosed that several injustices have been committed against the ethnic nationality in the past 50 years.
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, told the Federal Government to deploy the soldiers reserved for election duties to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in north eastern part of the country.
ThisDay reports that Buhari gave the advice at a meeting with stakeholders of Ogoni ethnic nationality at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, while warning against the use of military personnel in February elections.
The former head of state argued that if those soldiers were deployed to fight Boko Haram, it would bring an end to insurgency in the country, adding that it would not be in the interest of the country to deploy soldiers in the conduct of election.
“I have made this comment before and the federal government refused to react to it; the number of soldiers, policemen and officers of the State Security Services they deploy during elections, if they had deployed them to Borno and Yobe States to fight Boko Haram sect, by now, would have been history. Boko Haram is not a religious group; Boko Haram is not an ethnic group; Boko Haram is a terrorist group. They attack people in schools, they attack people in churches, they attack people in mosques, they attack people in markets, and they shout ‘Allahu Akbah! No religion rejoices over the blood of innocent people,” Buhari said.
The APC presidential candidate promised to complete all abandoned federal government projects in the area if elected president in February.
“The decision of the federal government to abandon the Bodo-Bonny road project is a clear case of incompetence and social injustice. It amounts to neglect at the highest level. A lot is taking from Ogoniland and relatively, a little is brought back in return. I assure you that an APC-led federal government will fulfil all its promises in Ogoniland,” he said.
Buhari also promised to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on the polluted Ogoni environment when he becomes the president. He also promised to fight terrorism, corruption and other forms of crimes if elected president in February 14.
The APC presidential candidate was accompanied by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as well as former Governors Segun Oni and Niyi Adebayo, among others.
Speaking at the event, Amaechi challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to tell Nigerians and the world in general the reason behind his refusal to implement the UNEP report on Ogoni environment, if not for his hatred for the people of the ethnic nationality.
“Let President Jonathan tell us why he has not allowed the implementation of the UNEP report. He has no reason. The money to be spent in the implementation of the report is not his; the money belongs to Shell,” Amaechi said.
Meanwhile, the senator representing Rivers South-east senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, in an address read on behalf of Ogoni people, disclosed that several injustices have been committed against the ethnic nationality in the past 50 years.
“Several injustices have been committed against the Ogoni people in the past 50 years. Oil companies that operated in Ogoni have not fared better in their corporate relations with host communities. What is more, the Bodo-Bonny road, the only seeming ongoing federal government project in Ogoniland is uncompleted years after the federal government of President Olusegun Obasanjo awarded the contracts. Our position as a people concerning resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni is that there should be adequate consultation with, and participation of the Ogonis in the process leading to their eventual operation. As a deprived people, we have consistently placed in the domains of all governments, the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR) that seeks equal representation of Ogonis in the affairs of the nation. These demands include appointment of Ogoni sons and daughters in government, provision of life sustainable infrastructures, such as good roads, water and development institution,” Abe said.
Speaking earlier, King Godwin Gininwa, the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, said the people of Ogoni expect Buhari, when elected as President of Nigeria, to wipe out their years of tears and pains, and presented a Sword and copy of UNEP report to Buhari.
The APC presidential candidate, who visited Ogoni land on Thursday, has reportedly gained their support.
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