By Demi Olumide
There is nothing like Sambisa Forest, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said.
Speaking at a Sunday night programme, Peoples Townhall 2023, a talk show on Channels Television anchored by Seun Okinbaloye, Mr Atiku, said he once served as a Customs Officer in the North East and knew Borno State as well as other states in the present day North East so well as to know that there is no forest in any part of that region.
Short of accusing the Federal Government of complicity in the festering of the Boko Haram crisis, Atiku wondered why the Nigerian Armed Forces which used to be Africa’s pride have failed in routing out Boko Haram, making them look helpless and vulnerable.
Atiku said there is no place for anybody to hide in Borno State as it is a vast land of sand dunes and a sprinkle of shrubs.
“I do not understand why Boko Haram should exist because there is nowhere for them to hide. I served in the North East I know Borno. I led many patrols there and know the terrain. They say there is a place called Sambisa Forest, I have been there and there is no forest, it is only shrubs.”
He said if elected into office, he is ready and determined to rout out Boko Haram and lay the ghost of insecurity to rest. According to him, the country is facing problems of insecurity and unity and needed experienced and competent people to lead in 2023 to restore “the Nigeria of our dream.
He noted that every part of the country has security challenge, and vowed that his administration, if elected, would negotiate with the different geopolitical zones to resolve the peculiar security situation afflicting the region. “Every zone of the country has their peculiar insecurity challenges. In the South East, we have the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) agitation, but is realising Biafra possible in this time and age? We cannot afford another civil war in Nigeria. That is why we are talking about restructuring and devolution of power to grant more autonomy to the regions. The country cannot afford to go into another civil war over the separatist agitations in the South East.
“The realisation of Biafra Republic may be impossible to achieve at this time and age that is why we are talking about restructuring and devolution of power to grant more autonomy to the geopolitical zones.”
He advised the South East zone to form alliances with other parts of the country to be more politically relevant in the scheme of things in Nigeria.
“The South East geopolitical zone should do more to move across the river Niger, they should do more to align with other geopolitical zones to secure political power.”
The former vice president said his administration would not scrap security votes, but would monitor how chief executives, at the states, or local government levels deploy the funds. We shall make all heads of government at the other two levels accountable.
“What we need on this issue of security votes is to ensure accountability. The chief executives, whether at the federal, state, or local government should account for how they spend the security ..ot fold our arms and watch governors spend the money recklessly. There will be proper accountability.”
He said his administration would remove fuel subsidies after proper dialogue with critical stakeholders on how to give palliative to the people.
