By Ndubuisi Michaels
The Special Adviser, Media Projects, to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, has upbraided the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its deafening silence on the issue of the church massacre in Owo, Ondo State, in which many innocent lives were lost.
The governor’s aide, in a statement, said it was unfortunate that the party in the state has kept mum in the wake of the attack, which has thrown the country into mourning.
According to him, “Edo APC has been uncomfortably mum about the recent attack at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which has drawn condolences and condemnation from across the country.
“When Governor Godwin Obaseki embarks on foreign trips to seek investment, Edo APC is quick to throw tantrums. When there is momentary flooding in Benin metropolis, the party and their lackeys go about taking pictures, making bogus claims. But on a very important occasion such as the Owo attack, they have failed to make a statement to commiserate with the victims.
“The attack speaks to the failure of the APC at the national level, in Abuja, to take responsibility and face the issue of safety and security squarely. This failing is what Edo APC has refused to acknowledge and draw the attention of its leaders in the executive arm of government to so as to forestall a reoccurrence.
“It bears repeating that the APC-controlled Federal Government is in charge of all security agencies in the country from the Nigerian Armed Forces, to the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, the Civil Defense Corps and other paramilitary agencies.”
He continued: “It smacks of hypocrisy, playing the ostrich and irresponsible politicking to shy away from calling attention to the parlous state of our national security architecture, but seek out mundane and pedestrian occasions to lampoon the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
“The party should be reminded that their duty as a political party is first of all to Nigerians before selfish, parochial interests.”
“Edo APC must call their government to order. They have to tell their party to step up measures to ensure that such a sad incident is not repeated in any other part of the country. The government must rise up to the occasion and take responsibility for the task of protecting the lives of Nigerians,” Osagie charged.
