![]() |
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar |
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described the absence of President Muhammadu
Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the burial of soldiers killed
in the Metele attack in Maiduguri as “totally unacceptable”.
The former vice president, in a statement he personally signed on
Saturday, said it was even more painful that the federal government
refused to send a high-power delegation to represent it at the funeral.
He said Buhari should learn from French President, Emmanuel Macron,
who on March 28, 2018 took a whole day off to attend the funeral of Lt.
Col Arnaud Beltrame, who was killed by a terrorist after a March 24,
2018 terror attack on the South of France.
The statement reads, “Today, I saw the pictures of the funeral of the
officers and men of the 157 Task Force battalion of the Nigerian Army
based in Metele and who were killed by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and
my heart went out to the men, their families and to our entire armed
forces. May their souls rest in peace and may God grant their families
fortitude at such a trying time.
“I am further pained that neither the President or his vice were in
attendance at the funeral and that the Federal Government did not send a
high powered delegation to represent the government at the funeral.
“This is sad and totally unacceptable. This is beyond politics. This
touches our shared humanity. What would it cost for the President to
take a day and fulfil his role as head of state by attending the funeral
of such men of honour and valour?
“The sad part of it is that a day before their funeral, President
Muhammadu Buhari took time out of his busy schedule to host Nollywood
stars at the Presidential Villa.
“I appreciate Nollywood and I have personally done a lot, both in my
private capacity and when I was Vice President, to promote that vitally
important industry. However, it does not send a right message to the men
and women who are fighting for Nigeria if you can attend a get together
of entertainers but you cannot find the time to honour those who make
the peace we are benefitting from possible.”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Comment expressed do not reflect the opinion of African Parliamentary News