Fayose knocks FG into belated response over Rivers Killings

Apparently responding to criticisms from Governor Ayodele Fayose, the Federal Government on Tuesday reacted to the spate of politically motivated killings in Rivers State.

President Muhammadu Buhari from far away Malabo condemned the political violence in Rivers State, saying that the killing of people over political differences was primitive, barbaric and unacceptable.

The President at an interactive meeting with Nigerians resident in Equatorial Guinea vowed that “We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard.

“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections,”

Earlier in the day, Fayose had released a statement that it is hypocritical of President Muhammadu Buhari to send condolences over terror attacks in Ivory Coast, but remain silent over worse attacks on Nigerian citizens.

According to him, the President’s condemnation of Sunday’s terrorist attack on the Grand Bassam Resort in Cote D’Ivoire is hypocritical and a demonstration of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.

The last reported killings in River state was over three days ago.

Read also: Benue/Ivory Coast: Buhari a hypocrite, insensitive, Fayose says

The Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina in a statement also stated that President Buhari said that the Independent National Electoral Commission will be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad voting in the 2019 general elections.

He said, “I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders,” he said

The President also said that establishing a new national airline was not currently on the Federal Government’s list of priorities.

President Buhari was responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

The President assured them that his administration’s war against corruption will remain “fearless, relentless and merciless”.

“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down,” he said.

 

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