Atiku to FG: Use soft power to tackle killings

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice-President, has advised the federal government to employ the use of “soft power” in addressing the killings on parts of the country.

He suggested dialogue as another approach through which the government can put an end to the armed violence that has ravaged parts of the country in 2018.

Atiku dished the counsel while speaking with journalists after a meeting with former state assembly presiding officers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The interaction took place on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said: “I just listened to a former deputy speaker, a lady for that matter, and she made two points; hard and soft powers in resolving the crisis. I like that idea.

“It is not every security breach you can use hard power on. You need to establish dialogue between leadership of various communities that lived together over the years.

“So the issue of using mere crude and hard power is not the only solution. There is also the need to use soft power on the issue of peaceful coexistence between communities.”

Atiku also questioned the experience of the APC in steering the affairs of the country.

He said Nigerians will realise “there is nothing about APC” if an evaluation is done.

“I think the people of Nigeria need to sit down and evaluate APC and PDP. There is nothing about APC,” the former VP said.

Atiku left the APC in November 2017, after spending almost four years in the ruling party. He “returned home” a month later.