Presidency: Insecurity result of decades of neglect — asking Buhari to resign isn’t solution

The presidency says the calls for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign will not solve the country’s security challenges.

On Tuesday, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had asked the president to “seriously consider” resigning over “failure to show appropriate response” to the country’s security challenges.

Responding in a statement on Wednesday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said the present administration has taken major steps that will soon offer “massive” rewards in the fight against insecurity.

He described the calls for Buhari’s registration as the work of politicians who have failed to connect with the people.

“The Presidency does not wish to be drawn into the high-decibel show in the media, taking the nation by the storm from the Northern Elders Forum. Publicity is the oxygen for politicians who have failed to connect with voters in a democracy,” the statement reads.

“It is enough to say from our part, that resignation call on the President is not a solution to the security problems facing the country, something that has built up to a worrisome level following decades of neglect.

“It is more important that citizens know what their government is doing to deal with this situation and for politicians to come to terms with the fact that it is beneficial to all that they help to preserve the state so that when it is their turn, they will have a place that they will manage.

“People don’t have to destroy what is there in a desperate quest to get power.

“In response to the recent spike in terrorist activity particularly in the Kaduna and Niger States axis, the defence establishment, in response to presidential directives, has realigned and reorganised the ongoing operation in the areas, as well as that going on in the Niger Delta region.

“The new operations structures are being reinforced with land-based assets to increase the efficiency of the troops and intelligence is equally being reinforced.

“The air defence system is being reinforced with newly-acquired jets and drones which assemblage and training for operators has been hastened to meet the current exigencies.

“The country is equally getting assurances of early delivery of equipment on order from manufacturers and the effort is ongoing to conclude other major procurements still in process.”

He highlighted efforts by the present administration to boost security in various geopolitical zones, adding that “the procurement of the largest ever single procurement of military vehicles” was approved on Wednesday.

“At the same time, similar major operations are going in the South-East and the South-South where the economic life wire of the nation and electricity transmission lines are currently being secured from saboteurs,” he said.

“What the sponsored saboteurs aim to show is that the government cannot provide power sabotaging equipment at switches and other vital points. They will not succeed. The public knows who is who, and who has done what in our country’s governance.

“Massive gains being made will shortly be manifesting. Large number of arrests have equally been made. Nigerians are assured that the government will keep its promise to the nation and threats to security will be handled with the firmness they call for. And government will remain firm in securing the country’s unity and progress.”