Delegates Divided On Jonathan’s Kano Visit

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By Olusegun Emmanuel, Abuja.
Delegates at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja on Wednesday expressed divergent views over President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to attend a rally in Kano state a day after the Abuja bomb blast which claimed over 75 lives and the abduction of over 100 female students in Maiduguri by insurgents.

The opposition All Progressive Congress APC had criticised the visit, saying it smacks insensitivity on the part of the president.

Speaking with our correspondent on the issue, Professor Chinedu Nwajiuba said there is not wrong for Mr. President to travel to Kano, saying that if Mr. President had stopped his trips because of what is happening the insurgents would have already achieved their objectives, which is to ground governance.

He said,” calling off the activities is not right, it will look as if these people have achieved their objectives. We don’t have a lot people from North east talking on this issue, they cannot claim ignorance of the current situation.”

But, another delegate, Mahmud Adamu expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. President’s trip to Kano, saying it amounts to insensitivity for President Jonathan to embark on that Journey.

He lamented that despite insecurity in the country, the elders are not talking on that issue describing their silence as criminal and complicity.

Also, former President of Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Comrade Lanre Ogundipe said it is morally wrong for Mr. President to travel Kano and dance when over 100 female students abducted in Maiduguri are yet to be rescued.

He added that Mr. President ought to put on hold the party engagement in Kano.

He said, “we cannot continue this way our young ones are being killed every day.”

It would be recalled that President Jonathan had on Tuesday travelled to Kano state for the rally to officially welcome Ibrahim Shekarau, a former Kano governor, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.