Zamfara: Presidency Accuses PDP Of Playing To Gallery

By James Orji

The Presidency has accused the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP of playing to the gallery over President Muhammadu Buhari’s botched travel to Zamfara state last week.

Buhari, who was in Sokoto last Thursday to inaugurate some projects, was billed to proceed to Zamfara to discuss insecurity in the state following the recent attacks in Anka and Bukkuyum LGAs. The trip was eventually cancelled by the president citing bad weather.

But the opposition PDP criticised the president for cancelling the trip, noting that Buhari changed his mind due to fear of bandits’ attacks.

In a statement PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba said ‘the Party dismisses President Buhari’s excuse of not travelling to Zamfara State because of inclement flying weather when he had the option of travelling the short trip from Sokoto to Gusau by road.

“We ask, did Mr. President cancel the trip to Zamfara State out of fear of terrorists? Was Mr. President, an Army General, with all the security apparatus under his command afraid to travel by road because he was not sure of his security as well as the dilapidated state of our roads under his watch?

“From Sokoto to Gusau, the Zamfara State capital is about 206 kilometres, a journey a leader who has the interest of the people at heart and who is sure of his security could have undertaken by road.

“President Buhari ought to have reassured Nigerians by travelling to Gusau, instead, he opted for a video broadcast in which he promised the troubled people of the state that he looks “forward to a more weather-friendly period when I will visit,” PDP said.

Responding to PDP allegation Garba Shehu said the opposition party lacks the understanding on how president works after being in power for 16 years, noting that President Buhari cannot travel by road.

Shehu said: “There must be a limit to trivialisation. All over the world, commanders-in-chief, serving or even those that have left office, cannot hop into a car and go anywhere they want, at any time of the day.

“In the United States, for instance, a law going as far back as 1958 prevents past presidents from travelling on public roads without assured security (how much more of serving presidents).

“When roads are closed for presidential movements here and elsewhere, consideration is also given to the safety of other road users, not just of the president or even governor.

“The statement on the issue by the PDP attacking the President for not making it to Gusau, without this being planned ahead of the journey, is shameful and disgraceful for a party that held the presidency of the country in the past. What is their record? Given right conditions of the weather and all other things, he will return, and in time to accomplish his mission.”