APC Leaders Angry With Buhari Over State Of Emergency Comments
LEADERS of the yet to be registered opposition alliance party, All Progressives Congress (APC) have expressed anger at the statements credited to former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, which indicated that the declaration of a state of emergency in three states of the North was anti-North.
Buhari had been quoted as saying in a programme on a Kaduna-based FM station that the declaration of a state of emergency in the three states of the North was anti-North and that he does not support President Goodluck Jonathan’s tactics on dealing with insurgency.
He also claimed that the government was being high-handed on the insurgents operating in parts of Northern Nigeria, adding that when militancy happened in the South South, the Federal Government invited the
perpetrators and granted them amnesty.
But leaders of the mega party, who have dissected Buhari’s statements were said to have expressed surprise at the claims by the former Head of state.
One of the leaders said that such a statement would only further alienate members of the emerging mega party, the APC from Buhari.
“Already, many people are saying that Buhari should not be used as the candidate of the party in the 2015 election, such a statement is capable of portraying him (Buhari) as someone who does not believe in the unity of Nigeria and it could negatively impact on the party.
“What we expect from Buhari are statements that would portray him as a statesman, not as a sectional leader. He as a former Head of State should be talking for Nigeria and not for a part thereof. Anything to the contrary will open him to undue scrutiny,” the source said.
Leaders of the APC were said to have criticized Buhari’s comments as off the mark.
A source said that the development has reinforced the resolve of the APC to field a younger presidential candidate in 2015 adding that when the time comes, Buhari would be told to hands off the presidential race.
