The Presidency says it will not be dragged into a war of words with the Northern Elders Forum over the security challenges confronting the nation.
Reacting to the recent call by the Northern Elders on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said such calls will not provide a solution to the problem.
He said: “The Presidency does not wish to be drawn into the high-decibel show in the media, taking the nation by storm from the Northern Elders Forum.
“Publicity is the oxygen for politicians who have failed to connect with voters in a democracy.
“It is enough to say from our part, that resignation call on the President is not a solution to the security problems facing the country, something that has built up to a worrisome level following decades of neglect.
“It is more important that citizens know what their government is doing to deal with this situation and for politicians to come to terms with the fact the it is beneficial to all that they help to preserve the state so that when it is their turn, they will have a place that they will manage.”
Shehu advised the Northern Elders not to be so desperate in their quest for power.
“People don’t have to destroy what is there in a desperate quest to get power,” he said.
The Presidential spokesperson used the occasion to highlight some of the measures put in place to address insecurity.
He said: “In response to the recent spike in terrorist activity particularly in the Kaduna and Niger States axis, the defense establishment, in response to presidential directives, has realigned and reorganized the ongoing operation in the areas, as well as that going on in the Niger Delta region.
“The new operations structures are being reinforced with land-based assets to increase the efficiency of the troops and intelligence is equally being reinforced.
“The air defense system is being reinforced with newly-acquired jets and drones which assemblage and training for operators has been hastened to meet the current exigencies.
“The country is equally getting assurances of early delivery of equipment on order from manufacturers and the effort is ongoing to conclude other major procurements still in process.
“Only this morning, the government at a meeting of the cabinet approved the procurement of the largest ever single procurement of military vehicles.
“At the same time, similar major operations are going in the South-East and the South-South where the economic life wire of the nation and electricity transmission lines are currently being secured from saboteurs.
“What the sponsored saboteurs aim to show is that the government cannot provide power sabotaging equipment at switches and other vital points. They will not succeed. The public knows who is who, and who has done what in our country’s governance.
“Massive gains being made will shortly be manifest. Large number of arrests have equally been made.
“Nigerians are assured that the government will keep its promise to the nation and government will remain firm in securing the country’s unity and progress.”
Emmanuel Ukoh
