The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a swipe at the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, telling him to hide his head in shame over his comments on Southern Kaduna killings.
The party alleged that Shehu had, during a programme on national television, said that the killings in Southern Kaduna were partly the fault of the PDP because it was the only Senatorial District in the North West with a PDP senator.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, and made available to newsmen last Monday, the party said it would call on President Buhari to relieve Shehu of his appointment, if he does not tender an apology to Nigerians over his statement.
“Garba Shehu, hide your head in shame over your comment on Southern Kaduna killings.
“We condemn, in totality, the statement credited to the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity (SSA), Garba Shehu, on Channels Television today, Monday, January 23, 2017, wherein he shamelessly alleged that the killings in Southern Kaduna were partly the fault of the PDP because it is the only Senatorial District in the North West with PDP senator. How sad!
“We are baffled that such a callous, irresponsible and insensitive statement could come from a person who speaks for the President of Nigeria. This shows the extent to which every issue in the country today is viewed from the APC’s and the Presidency’s extremely narrow and jaundiced partisan political prism.
“Is Garba Shehu inferring that the hapless people of southern Kaduna were singled out for genocide because they elected a PDP senator? Or that the people invited such mindless violence upon themselves by choosing to be different in sea of APC domination?
“Or is the Southern Kaduna massacre really an action to teach the people a bitter lesson for voting PDP and not APC? It is really unimaginable that any reasonable person can make such a reckless statement.
“One really wonders when the APC would finally accept responsibility for its incompetence and maladministration and end the blame game.
“They have spent the last two years doing nothing but blame the PDP for their woes. They will from all indications, spend the next two years doing the same. May be, that’s what they were elected to do after all. Even then, they need not descend to the gutter as Garba Shehu did on Channels TV this morning.
“It is high time those in authority learned that we cannot reduce everything to partisan politics. You do not play politics with the lives of millions of people. That’s exactly what APC Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and President Buhari have been doing with the lives of the people of Southern Kaduna.
“Beyond politics, we are all accountable to God almighty. We once again call for an international inquiry into the Southern Kaduna massacre. We have little faith that those at the helm of affairs at the state and national levels will do justice in the matter.
“Finally we call on Garba Shehu to tender an unreserved apology to all Nigerians for his unguarded, reckless and irresponsible statement failing which we would call on President Buhari to relieve him of his duties,” the PDP added.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna.
The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the appeal, yesterday, describing the situation in Southern Kaduna as “unfortunate’’ and “something that is of concern’’.
He said, “It is really (an) unfortunate situation and clearly it demonstrates the fact that good governance is not in place, because for us organised labour, it is something that is of concern.
“The issue of Southern Kaduna was actually addressed at a point in time.
“There was a particular administration that was able to find a solution around this issue and suddenly peace actually returned to that part of Nigeria.
“But this issue is resurfacing, which means we are not actually getting it right.
“Therefore, it is high time those gladiators did things that will be in the interest of the citizens.
“Whatever argument is playing out now would not actually address the issue until our leaders take full responsibility to be able to fix and address the issue and anything short of that is failure.
“Governance is about responsibility; the primary purpose of governance anywhere in the world is security, peace of the people.’’