...it's all about being your pal
Jonathan's Kano dance and party at PDP rally a bold statement to terrorists - Labaran Maku
16/04/2014 16:16
The Federal Government has said President Goodluck Jonathan’s presence at a Peoples Democratic Party’s rally in Kano State on Tuesday was meant to be a loud statement to terrorists that they could not succeed in their bid to stop government from working.
Labaran Maku, Minister of Information, made this known at a press briefing on Wednesday, after the week's Federal Executive Council meeting.
President Jonathan had barely 24 hours after a bomb explosion killed 75 people in Nyanya, Abuja, led PDP party members to Kano State, where they gave a formal and grand reception for former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, who recently defected to the party.
Maku insisted that the President having visited the scene of the explosion as well as visiting some injured victims at the hospital, had himself suffered psychologically by the acts, which he claimed was deliberately carried out to demoralise and destabilise the government.
He said, “You will notice that whenever there is any significant story, something will just come negatively. So the purpose is to demoralise, disrupt government, society and to set people against each other and create paralysis.
“So if we are to say we will do nothing because of the strike, then it means that terrorists would have successes in putting a stall each time they strike on our country.
“Going to Kano was a loud statement that terrorists will not stop this country from moving and from working.
“On the day it happened, the President had already suspended all his activities and focused on it. Politicians will still want to exploit even the most dark moment for political advantage and this is what we should not do.
“We should not be exploiting the emotions of citizens for cheap political points. People will use everything including murder, including trauma like what we have gone through to score cheap political points and this is really very sad.
“Politicians must not exploit the suffering of people just to score cheap political points.
“The President is mourning and is already working with everybody and with every institution to ensure that we not only meet the needs of the living and care for those who have survived but continuously work to perfect our security architecture to ensure greater safety of Nigerians.”
He recalled that Jonathan had on the day of the incident called off his planned trip to Ibadan for the centenary birthday of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Odulana Odugade.
Maku expressed the view that terrorists would continue to unleash violence on the country once they know that government stops working any time they strike.
He therefore urged politicians to stop exploiting the nation’s darkest moment to score cheap political points.
The development drew the ire of many Nigerians, including the All Progressives Congress who accused the President of being insensitive.
Tags:
Contact
Send an email:
Content Manager: segunadeoye1@gmail.com
Inquiry Manager: angel.hgeorge@gmail.com
Content Manager: segunadeoye1@gmail.com
Inquiry Manager: angel.hgeorge@gmail.com
Video