National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus has warned that the 2023 general elections will not be realistic if the current security situation in the country continues to deteriorate.
Speaking during an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party in Abuja on Thursday, he advised President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a National Security Conference for comprehensive and all-embracing deliberations on the future of the country.
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He said the development in Nigeria is so frightening that it requires critical stakeholders to deliberate and act on the situation.
He noted that “All the ‘noise’ for 2023 will amount to nought if the security challenges are not drastically addressed.”
Secondus said, “Our country today is grounded by insecurity and there has been no matching response from the government despite the demands of the 1999 operating constitution in Section 14 Subsection (2b) that “the welfare and security of the citizens shall be the primary purpose of government.
“Terrorists in the North before were confined to the North East region but today 50 villages have been reportedly taken by them in the North Central state of Niger. Herdsmen are also menacing in the West, gunmen causing havoc in the East and the militants in the South, all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear.
“Clearly, anarchy is being let loose on the people with the government unable to provide any resistance. We have therefore invited you to enable the party, as the main opposition in the country, to add its voice to the worrisome situation with a view to saving not just democracy but even the country.
“Having shown clearly its incapacity, the APC led-government has swallowed its pride and now invited the international community to come and help out. This ought to have been done long ago instead of pretending and spilling innocent blood.
“Leaders of the party, I, therefore, invite NEC to note on this very critical matter with a view to offering the necessary advice to the government at all levels for prompt solution.
“This has become necessary as nothing, not even 2023 is realistic if security issues are not adequately addressed.”
Calls for state of emergency on security
Meanwhile, PDP has urged Buhari to urgently declare a state of emergency on insecurity to end the escalating insecurity in the country.
The party, in a 13 paragraph communiqué issued at the end of its emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, on Thursday, lamented the heightened insecurity in the country.
“NEC urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately declare a national state of emergency on security.
“NEC also urged President Buhari to, without delay, convoke a national conference on security so as to galvanize ideas and options to tackle insecurity in our country.”
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