PDP gives Buhari 24 hours to arrest Miyetti Allah leaders

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given President Muhammadu Buhari 24 hours to arrest leaders of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and prosecute them.

In a statement on Wednesday, Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesman of the party, said if the president refuses to do that, he will be held responsible for the utterances and actions of the group.

Garus Gololo, chairman of the association in Benue state, had said the senate president is working to undermine the presidency. He then asked Saraki to relinquish his position or be forced out.

But Othman Ngelzarma, national secretary of MACBAN, said Gololo spoke in his personal capacity and he would be sanctioned for making the comment, while he asked the public to disregard it.

PDP said the threat has revealed the relationship between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and MACBAN, adding the group is the military wing of the ruling party.

“If anything, this unguarded statement by Miyetti Allah has exposed the synergy between the ruling party and some troublesome elements, who are being used to stoke division and create violent crisis that had resulted into daily bloodletting in various parts of the country,” the statement read.

“It is now abundantly clear to Nigerians that those fomenting crisis, including the bloody clashes in Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Nassarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Edo, Borno, Yobe, Enugu, Kogi, Adamawa and other states in our country, have political backers, who now want to channel them to achieve their unpatriotic quest to subvert our constitution and forcefully take over the national assembly.

“Before now, to majority of Nigerians, the Miyetti Allah has always represented the military wing of the APC and the Buhari presidency. It is incontrovertible that they have now become the fourth arm of government that can determine when and how to forcefully remove the number three citizen, the president of the senate.

“It is common knowledge that Mr. President has come under heavy public criticisms on how his body language has condoned the unguarded utterances and actions of these characters.

“However, in the light of these treasonable and inciting utterances by Miyetti Allah, we demand that President Muhammadu Buhari, should within the next 24 hours, order the arrest and commence immediate trial of the leadership of this group, otherwise Nigerians will henceforth hold him directly responsible for the utterances and actions of the Miyetti Allah.

“Finally, the PDP is aware that Miyetti Allah does not represent the views and interests of the vast majority of cattle breeders or even any ethnic group in the country. We therefore urge all good spirited Nigerians to rise in condemnation of the actions and utterances of these misguided elements, who are being used to attempt a constitutional breach that portends grave danger to national cohesion and our hard earned democracy.”