The Presidency has scowled at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for feigning concern for the citizens affected by banditry when it did nothing to combat it for decades.
Specifically, Presidency responded on Monday to the statement made by the major opposition party, PDP, who said the President chose to honour Akande on a day some Nigerians lost their lives to bandit attacks in some communities in the North.
In a statement by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja, he noted that the PDP who have nothing positive or new to add to the debate about the future of the nation than seek to trivialize the president’s visit to Lagos.
He added that some religious leaders have been recruited to join in the crusade to portray this administration in a bad light.
According to Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari visited Lagos on December 9, 2021, to launch the Naval defence ship, NNS Oji, built by the Nigerian Navy and to induct formidable military assets to tackle the increased attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President said, “On Dec. 9, in Lagos, President Muhammadu Buhari launched a made-in-Nigeria Naval defence ship, NNS Oji.
“He inducted other vital military assets that improved the country’s capabilities to fight increased piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
“’ With the waters off the coast of Nigeria seeing increased attacks – with 35 cases in 2020 – these new naval ships entered service at the most opportune time.
“Designed by Nigerians and built by Nigeria’s Naval Dockyard, the ships are the largest military vessels ever produced domestically.
“Key to President Buhari’s commitment to self-reliance as a nation and determination to build Nigeria into a manufacturing power, the ships paved the way for construction of larger more capable warships over time.
“In the future, Nigeria will move to become no more an arms importer to a defence exporter.
“In addition, the president surveyed and inaugurated a Navy helicopter that will join the new vessels in scouting for and countering piracy that impedes security and trade,’’ he stated.
Clarifying the issue of the President’s attending the book launch of the autobiography of former Osun State governor in the fourth republic, Chief Bisi Akande, Malam Shehu noted that Akande is a nationalist who has stood firmly as a key agitator for a democratic nation during the military era.
He added that Akande was very instrumental to the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, taking over power in 2015.
“Without visionaries such as Bisi Akande, the corrupt PDP and its acolytes who have done so much to strip our nation of its wealth, stunt its growth, and subject it to derogation abroad would still be in office.
“Of course, those in the PDP who have nothing positive or new to add to the debate about the future of the nation seek to trivialize the president’s Lagos visit.
“They choose to ignore the crucial launch of the naval vessels; they suggest the primary reason for going to Lagos was to attend a book launch.
“They try to make further mileage by claiming the president should not have attended given the attack by bandits elsewhere in the country that same day.
“Should the president not have launched the naval ships the day after that attack? Should he listen to the PDP who feign concern for those affected by banditry when they did nothing to combat it for decades – not on land or at sea?
“Should our famously austere president not attend a book launch of his friend and fellow democratic opposition veteran when it coincided with a visit to Lagos to tend the affairs of state?
“Through their attacks, the PDP revealed their priorities.
“Of course, for decades, as the PDP enjoyed their decadent parties at others’ expense, the navy and the armed forces rotted through negligence,’’ he added.
Shehu added that the PDP could not commend the President for boosting the military artilleries to tackle piracy and attacks in the nation’s waters but decided to tie the line of pettiness.
“It reveals the difference between a president who cares for the country while managing to show courtesy to his comrades and the opposition who corrupted the country through the sharing out of its wealth.
“Sadly, these opportunistic opposition elements, in a desperate search for political points, have dragged respected religious leaders into the discussion, feeding them misleading information.
“The latter has, in turn, used this distorted picture to black-paint the president in the eyes of innocent members of the public”, Shehu added.
