‘This government has failed’ — PDP senator tackles Buhari over insecurity

Abiodun Olujimi, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator, has expressed displeasure with the way the federal government is handling insecurity.

Oluimi spoke at plenary after Bello Mandiya, senator representing Katsina south, and Abu Kyari, senator representing Borno north, sponsored separate motions on Tuesday.

While Mandiya drew the attention of his colleagues to the abduction of over 300 boys at a secondary school in Kankara, Katsina, Kyari spoke on the brewing humanitarian crisis as a result of Boko Haram activities in the north-east.

Speaking on the abduction of the boys, Olujimi, who represents Ekiti south, said the office of the president is not an award but a call to duty.

“This government has failed us and there is no doubt about that. The presidency is not an award, it is a call to duty, a man should be dutiful to when the bulk stops at his table. The bulk, as far as security is concerned, stops squarely on the table of Mr President,” she said.

“Nobody is talking to us, we are just there as if we are talking rubbish. How many resolutions have gone out? Several, none of them has been handled. How many resolutions did we take on #EndSARS? None has been tackled.

“And you (Lawan) are saying it is our business, well it is the business of the president and this government. Because it is our government and our Nigeria, this government has failed us. We must get and do something, 333 boys that is the future of Nigeria.”

Speaking on the same subject, Matthew Urhoghide, senator representing Edo south, said it is time to compel the president to take actions aimed at curbing insecurity in the country.

“We thought he (Buhari) would have an interaction with us but that didn’t happen because of people who will make us believe that he has no respect for the national assembly. I hold that view very strongly, that Mr President has no respect for the national assembly,” he said.

“I want us to look at a cursory look of section 1.3, I’m not saying the president must be removed, no, that will be premature but let us take a resolution by one-third of us, by compelling him – Mr President we want to inundate with the insecurity in this country, it is our people that are being massacred everyday.

“I’m not asking for his impeachment but that he be compelled.”

On his part, Mohammed Musa, senator representing Niger east, said the service chiefs must go.

“There is a need for this chamber to draw the attention of Mr. President that enough is enough, these service chiefs should go,” Musa said.

James Manager, senator representing Delta south, asked the president to implement some of the resolutions passed by the national assembly.

“What a country! Something has to be done. What do we do aside talking here? Mr. President, help the children to be rescued,” he said.

Thereafter, the senate urged Buhari to implement the recommendations of a senate ad hoc committee on security.