The Progressive governors under the aegis of
Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) have
accused President Goodluck Jonathan of
focusing more attention on his second term
ambition in 2015 than frontally tackling the
increasing security threat to lives and
property in the country.
The governors, who belong to the All
Progressives Congress (APC), made the
accusation in reaction to Monday’s pre-dawn
attack on the Nigerian Air Force base in
Maiduguri, Borno State, by suspected Boko
Haram insurgents.
The governors attributed the attack to what
they called “lack of security agenda’’ by Mr.
President, whom they claimed was more
obsessed with winning the next presidential
poll than tackling rising insurgency in the
land.
Making their views known in a statement
signed by the Director-General in charge of
the PGF secretariat in Abuja, Mr. Salihu
Lukman, the governors noted with concern
that the security situation in several parts of
the country had continued to deteriorate
despite the extension of the State of
Emergency in some states and the trillions of
naira supposedly spent on security.
The governors said, “The most recent attack
was particularly telling as it shows that
President Goodluck Jonathan has no security
agenda and is only focused on retaining
power beyond 2015. The result of this
criminal negligence is the unabated slaughter
of lives. Clearly the security structures set up
in the region have been overwhelmed.
“The PGF calls on the President to reassess
his security strategy and focus more on the
critical issues of the day. Obviously, the
strategies and tactics currently adopted by
the President and security agencies drafted
to the region have been ineffectual, just as
they leave much to be desired.
“While we commiserate with the Government
and people of Borno State, we call on the
Federal Government to immediately overhaul
the tactics and rules of engagement of the
security agencies deployed in Borno and
other states.
“The President, who also doubles as the
Commander-in-Chief needs to get a firmer
grip as well as ensure coherence in the
management of the various tiers of security
interventions in the affected states. His
obsession with 2015 is a dangerous diversion
at a time when real courage and
statesmanship are needed.
“We, on our own part, shall continue to offer
support to our colleague, Governor Kashim
Shettima and to provide necessary
humanitarian assistance in these extremely
difficult times.
Information Nigeria recalls that Monday’s
attack in Maiduguri lasted for close to five
hours with the insurgents inflicting serious
casualties on the people and burning down
some military aircraft and buildings in the
process although the security agencies
repelled their advancement in an airstrike
which left dozens of the gunmen dead.