SAYS PRESIDENCY HAS NO RESPONSE FOR POLITICIANS WHO HAVE LOST TOUCH WITH NIGERIANS
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday reacted to the call by the Northern Elders Forum asking President Mohammadu Buhari to resign as a result the worsening security situation in the country.
The Presidency said those asking the President to quit his job should know that resignation is not a solution to the security problems facing the country.
He stated that the Presidency cannot be drawn to a media war with politicians who have lost contact with voters.
“Presidency does not wish to be drawn into the high-decibel show in the media, taking the nation by the storm from the Northern Elders Forum.
Publicity is the oxygen for politicians who have failed to connect with voters in a democracy.” He stated.
“It is enough to say from our part, that resignation call on of the President is not a solution to the security problems facing the country, something that has built up to a worrisome level following decades of neglect.”
Shehu stated that the most critical issue is for the citizenry to know what the Goverment is doing in dealing with the challenges at hand.
He stressed that politicians should also embrace the efforts of the Government and contribute towards preserving the State.
“It is more important that citizens know what their government is doing to deal with this situation and for politicians to come to terms with the fact the it is beneficial to all that they help to preserve the state so that when it is their turn, they will have a place that they will manage.
“People don’t have to destroy what is there in a desperate quest to get power.”
On the recent terrorist attacks in Kaduna and Niger States, the Presidency said that the internal security and defense are being reorganised and realigned in the steady operations being launched in the affected areas of the country, following the presidental directives.
“In response to the recent spike in terrorist activity particularly in the Kaduna and Niger States axis, the defense establishment, in response to presidential directives, has realigned and reorganized the ongoing operation in the areas, as well as that going on in the Niger Delta region.
“The new operations structures are being reinforced with land-based assets to increase the efficiency of the troops and intelligence is equally being reinforced.
“The air defense system is being reinforced with newly-acquired jets and drones which assemblage and training for operators has been hastened to meet the current exigencies.” He disclosed.
According to him, the country is expecting delivery of equipment it ordered from manufacturers and that efforts are being made to conclude other major procurements that are in process.
He said; “Only this morning, the government at a meeting of the cabinet approved the procurement of the largest ever single procurement of military vehicles.
“At the same time, similar major operations are going in the South-East and the South-South where the economic life wire of the nation and electricity transmission lines are currently being secured from saboteurs.
“What the sponsored saboteurs aim to show is that the government cannot provide power sabotaging equipment at switches and other vital points. They will not succeed. The public knows who is who, and who has done what in our country’s governance.
He said very soon, that the massive gains being made would be manifesting adding that large number of arrests of terrorists have been made.
“Nigerians are assured that the government will keep its promise to the nation and threats to security will be handled with the firmness they call for. And government will remain firm in securing the country’s unity and progress.” Garba Shehu added .