TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that the sponsors of Boko Haram are friends of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, national chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun, said APC had long resolved not to politicise the issue of Boko Haram, hence its willingness and readiness to cooperate with the federal government in neutralising the sect.

Oyegun who couched his statements in the allegations Australian negotiator Stephen Davis against former governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sheriff, and former chief of army staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, as sponsors of the terror group, declared that his party had been vindicated by the revelations of Davis.

The PDP and APC have always accused each other of sponsoring Boko Haram.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC), like many well-meaning Nigerians, had resolved long ago that the issue of the Boko Haram insurgency should not be politicised. In view of this, the APC expressed its willingness and readiness to cooperate with the federal government in neutralising the insurgency,” he said.

“Regrettably, however, instead of accepting this offer of cooperation, the PDP-federal government has consistently pointed accusing fingers at our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the sponsor of Boko Haram. They have called us all sorts of derogatory names, but failed to provide any shred of evidence to support their claim.

“The truth is finally out. We have been vindicated. We have no hand in the Boko Haram insurgency. The raison d’etre of our party is the well-being and security of Nigerians

“The sponsors of Boko Haram are within the PDP and the presidency. They are known friends of President Jonathan. He knows them and they know him.”

Reaffirming his position that the APC has no hand in the country’s terrorism challenge, Oyegun added: “The man who exposed these Boko Haram sponsors is a Jonathan-appointed negotiator. He has no axe to grind, neither does he have any motive to shield the APC or portray the PDP/presidency in bad light. In fact, if he had any sympathy at all, it is for the man who hired him, President Jonathan.

“In view of the fact that the alleged Boko Haram sponsors are either members of the ruling party or friends of the president, it is clear that the PDP-led federal government is unwilling and unable to try them, hence our call.

Now that it is clear that the PDP is behind Boko Haram for the sole purpose of winning next year’s presidential election, Nigerians must prevail on the PDP and the presidency to urgently end this insurgency and the daily killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians. The president must remember that he is the commander-in-chief. The buck stops on his desk. He must now do all it takes to stop the growing mess in our nation’s northeast.”

Oyegun assured Nigerians that the APC would not allow the issue to be swept under the carpet, calling on security agencies to investigate the allegations.