Atiku Blames Soldiers Massacre On Buhari’s Campaign Policy Launch

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, November 27th, 2018

By Ganiyu Nasirudeen

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Presidential candidate of the leading opposition Peoples Democfratic party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has countered the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) attack on the choice of the day of his turbaning as Waziri, saying the killing of 100 soldiers by insurgents held the same day President Muhammadu Buahri was launching his campaign policy document ‘’The Next Level’’ with the the Service Chiefs in attendance.

The APC has accused Abubakar’s choice of Sunday, November 25, 2018 – barely a week after the massacre for his turbaning in Adamawa State, as “selfishness and mercantilism”.

The opposition Presidential flagbearer said the APC criticism was curious as Atiku has dedicated his birthday, not to himself, but to celebrating the 100 or so heroes of the 157 Taskforce Battalion of the Nigerian Army who lost their lives to Boko Haram at Metele in Borno State.

Atiku’s statement which was made available to journalists in Abuja Monday stated: “Ironically, the All Progressives Congress that is now accusing Atiku Abubakar, has not deemed it fit to pay tribute to these gallant men who gave their lives in order to secure the lives of others.

“As a party, they have not issued even one statement condoling with the slain or their families, neither have they offered any tangible support to the families of these fallen heroes. Yet, they are accusing the Waziri, who has shown commitment to honouring these heroes, of selfishness.

“As a matter of fact, we now know through Reuters report, that these real Nigerian heroes were killed on November 18, 2018, which was the exact time that the candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, invited the service chiefs to attend the launch of the plagiarised #NextLevel launch at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa.

“The nation can only wonder if the Metele massacre could have been avoided if the APC and President Buhari had allowed the service chiefs to focus on their core duties, rather than on his ill-fated re-election campaign.”

However, the Atiku Camapiagn organisation commended the service chiefs “for beating a hasty retreat from the event as soon as they discovered that President Buhari was trying to hoodwink them.”

“We, therefore, wonder who is truly ‘selfish’.

“It is left to Nigerians to compare and contrast who is a leader and who is a follower based on the conduct of these two parties.

“In any case, we would like to inform the APC of Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s call for financial support from well-meaning individuals and institutions for the survivors of the Metele massacre, and indeed for all who paid the supreme sacrifice in the front lines for us to be safe’’ the statement said.