The National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has admitted Nigeria’s ‘regrettable’ security situation but condemned the call for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over the insecurity.
The ruling party accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of politicising the country’s security situation.
The security situation across Nigeria has deteriorated in recent years with kidnapping for ransom now rampant in most states. The Boko Haram insurgency has continued in North-east Nigeria, mainly in Borno State, while armed bandits kill and kidnap at will in many North-west and North-central states.
The security situation has led many Nigerians and groups including the Northern Elders Forum and the PDP to call for President Buhari’s resignation.
The APC NEC, which is the highest decision making organ of the party, aside from its convention, met on Tuesday and its resolutions were announced by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna.
“The NEC condemns in very strong terms, the call by the PDP leadership and some of their cheerleaders for the resignation of Mr President,” Mr El-Rufai said.
The ruling party admitted the ‘regrettable’ security situation but said the “challenges though regrettable can only be addressed when all interest, civil and military, governments and opposition, security forces and indeed all citizens collaborate irrespective of party affiliation.
“This is not the time to politicize security.”
Some of the other resolutions of the NEC include a six months extension of the tenure of the caretaker committee to oversee the party’s affairs, dissolution of all state and local government executives and expulsion of its former vice-chairman (South-south), Hilliard Eta, over his refusal to withdraw a lawsuit filed against the party.
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