The New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call his party governors to order so as not to truncate Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy.
NNPP made the call in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major while condemning the attack on the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign convoy in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Wednesday, in which 70 persons were reportedly injured and several vehicles damaged.
It described the attack as outrageous, barbaric, repulsive, and intended to undermine the nation’s emerging democracy ahead of the crucial 2023 general election that will redefine and redirect the destiny of the country.
The party called on all lovers of the constitutional rule to condemn and resist this dastardly act by those it called anti-democratic forces that want to foist the rule of might and thuggery in place of our cherished rule of law, tolerance, and unity in diversity.
It noted that the latest attack on the foundations of the nation’s frail democracy shows the level of desperation and intolerance of opposition political parties by the outgoing All Progressives Congress in Borno State.
“In August this year, our great party, the NNPP was a victim of this political intolerance and executive recklessness in the state when Governor Babagana Zulum was jittery over the ever-increasing popularity and acceptance of the party’s Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (FNSE), Ph.D. invited the police to seal off NNPP’s two secretariats in Maiduguri, the state capital ahead of his visit to commission the secretariats.
“The national outcry it generated forced the police to vacate the secretariats which paved way for the party’s presidential candidate to visit the state. During the same visit, our presidential candidate’s convoy was attacked at the Bulumkutu railway crossing in the suburbs of Maiduguri as he made his way to the airport to depart the state,” the party recalled in the statement.
While commiserating with victims of the attacks and praying for their quick recovery, the NNPP urged the Inspector General of Police and Director General of State Security Services to ensure adequate security at political rallies to forestall any breach of the peace.