TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police for their silence on the threats of ex-militants to incite violence if President Goodluck Jonathan loses the presidential election.

According to APC, the failure of the security agencies to act is an indication of their double standard and lack of fairness.

“It is insightful to note that the same security agencies that reacted with hysteria to the harmless comments by Rotimi Amaechi, River state governor, have suddenly lost their voices when the ex-militants threatened to wage war on the nation,” the party said in a statement issued by Lai Mohammed, its spokesman, on Sunday.

‘”When Amaechi said soldiers had the right to protest if their welfare was not taken care of, the DSS was at its most efficient level, with its voluble spokesperson threatening fire and brimstone and only stopping short of arresting the governor despite his immunity.

“When the same Amaechi said the APC will form a parallel government if the February 14 and 28 elections are rigged, the same DSS and the police sought to outdo one another with threats and condemnation of what they called ‘inciting comments’, even when Amaechi’s warning was conditional.

“Now, the ex-militants have said President Jonathan must be re-elected or they will unleash violence on the country. In other words, it is immaterial whether or not he loses in a free and fair election. There is no clearer indication of impunity than the action of the ex-militants, who issued their threats in the Bayelsa government house, with the governor of the state in attendance.

“More than a week later, the DSS has been missing in action while the police, in what can pass as a most shocking reaction, said they are still studying the ex-militants’ comments. Even after former defence minister, Theophilus Danjuma called for the arrest of the ex-militants for their treasonable threats, and the ex-militants had the audacity to repeat the threats, the police still continued to ‘study’ the threats. This is simply unbelievable.”

It argued the implication of the conspiracy of inaction by the DSS and the police was that, under the administration of President Jonathan, there are different rules for different Nigerians, wondering how the security agencies could be trusted to provide a level playing ground for all political parties before, during and after the general election.

“For supporters of President Jonathan, there is no law, there is no police, there is no DSS. Their support for the president is a licence for lawlessness and irresponsibility, and if at all there is any law, they remain far above such law. That is why they could dare the entire nation by issuing such treasonable comments and get away with their action.”

It called on Nigerians to take note of the glaring double standard of the security agencies, while urging local and international observers to closely monitor the activities of the security agents before, during and after the election.

“On our part, the fact that the DSS and the police, both of which have issued their last warnings against those making inciting comments, have failed to move against the war-mongering ex-militants is a confirmation of what we have always believed: that national institutions have been deployed in the pursuit of partisan, rather than national interests under the administration of President Jonathan,” the party said.