The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum has described as irresponsible the comment by the African Democratic Congress regarding its meeting on Saturday in Gusau, Zamfara.
The forum, in a statement by its director-general, Emmanuel Agbo, said that the ADC should have done better by empathising through a visit to the affected states than playing to the gallery.
The ADC had on Sunday condemned the recent killings in Zamfara and Katsina States, especially the attack on worshippers, calling for the declaration of a state of emergency in the two states.
The party also criticised the decision of the PDP governors to hold their political meeting in Zamfara days after the tragic killing of dozens of people in the state, describing the action as insensitive.
The ADC, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said that instead of the governors rallying around their beleaguered colleague to help stop the orgy of killings, they chose to stage a political rally at the scene of mass murder.
According to Mr Abdullahi, the photos of PDP governors in full ceremonial robes, grinning for the camera, are totally out of place in an environment that still reeks of so much blood and sorrow.
”This act alone further underlines an important fact: neither the ruling APC nor the incurably afflicted PDP cares about the people and their suffering. They only care about power and politics,” he said.
Reacting to the ADC’s comments, Mr Agbo described ADC as a ”one chance vehicle” party, playing politics and trying to gain political capital with human lives.
”Ordinarily, we will not grant them the rare privilege of joining issues, but it is our sense of responsibility to correct the erroneous impression being forced down the sensibilities of the innocent Nigerian public that necessitates this response.
“Playing politics and trying to gain political capital with human lives isn’t our stock in trade, as is characteristic of the ADC. The Zamfara meeting was scheduled and not a spur-of-the-moment thing. ADC should have done better by empathising through a visit to the affected states than playing to the gallery,” he said.
Mr Agbo recalled that the PDP-GF meeting extensively deliberated on the state of the nation, including the security situation.
He stated that at the end of the meeting, the PDP governors issued a communique that created time and space for comments on the state of insecurity and security reforms.
He also recalled that the forum particularly commended the government of Zamfara for its initiatives in significantly curbing insecurity within the state.
He added that the forum also condemned the continued killings in Katsina, Plateau, Niger, and Benue and other parts of the country, calling on the federal government to do more in protecting the lives and properties of the citizenry.
The PDP-GF director-general noted that since the exit of ADC members, the PDP had become much more formidable and focused, with a clear determination to stay on track.
“The ADC before now, with their inordinate sense of entitlement, constituted a huge clog to the wheel of national unity and harmony.
“The security situation in the country is of grave concern to the PDP governors; it took centre stage in our deliberation and resolution as contained in the communique. That the ADC couldn’t see that much isn’t surprising.
“The ADC, having made a decision akin to entering a one-chance vehicle, is again reminded that, like the proverbial forgiving father to the prodigal son, the PDP still has our arms and doors widely open to them if they genuinely act remorsefully in repentance,” Mr Agbo added.
