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Politics of Saturday, 16 January 2021

Source: punchng.com

Armed Forces Day: APC, PDP clash over rising insecurity

File photo: APC logo, PDP logo File photo: APC logo, PDP logo

The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on Friday clashed over the worsening insecurity in Nigeria.

This was as the nation marked the 2021 edition of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

While the APC urged Nigerians to avoid playing politics with the issue of security, the PDP advised the APC to end propaganda and secure Nigerians lives.

The APC made its appeal to Nigerians in a statement titled, “#AFRD2021: APC Hails Military Successes, Remembers Fallen Heroes,” signed by the National Secretary of the party, Senator Akpanudoedehe.

The statement commended officers and men of the military for laying down their lives in the defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The statement read in part, “We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on many visible and verifiable achievements of the military in the ongoing fight against insurgency and violent crimes in Nigeria as contained in the compendium: 'Security Checklist: As Nigeria marks Armed Forces Remembrance Day', released to the public on Thursday.

“From the country’s 30-month civil war which ended on January 15, 1970, to the fight against terrorism, banditry and other emerging violent crimes, many servicemen have paid the supreme price for our safety, peace and unity.

“We pray for the protection of the living and remember the departed heroes and their families left behind.

“From international peacekeeping missions to addressing security incidents within the country and overall discharge of its constitutional responsibilities, the military has undoubtedly made the country proud.

“Several innovations and inventions by the Armed Forces have resulted in the production of military hardware, infrastructural development, restructuring and reorganisation of its operations."

The party credited the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), for investing in military hardware, intelligence and tactical training for servicemen.

Akpanudoedehe also said, “We must collectively shun the practice of politicising issues of security and the efforts of our security services particularly the Armed Forces to keep the country safe. We should rather support their efforts to further degrade the capacity of terrorists and other criminal elements.

“We invite all Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the patriotic call contained in our national anthem which reads in part: 'The labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain'”.

In response, the PDP which also paid glowing tributes to Nigeria’s fallen heroes said Nigerians deserve better than what the Buhari regime was currently listing as achievements in the area of security.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan told Saturday Punch, “Our gallant military men and women deserve all the accolades today and always for the sacrifices they made in the past and they are making today under very difficult conditions, they deserve better.”

Ologbondiyan further said, “How does President Buhari want an unmerited pass mark knowing that under his watch, bandits, terrorists, kidnappers and vandals, who have been pushed to the fringes before he took over in 2015, have now resurged, taking communities hostage, raping our women, beheading our compatriots and foisting a reign of terror to the extent that our nation ranked as the third country with the highest level of terrorism in 2019, after Iran and Afghanistan?”