Presidency rejects Northern elders’ demand for Buhari’s resignation, hints at reform of internal security

The Presidency on Wednesday dismissed the call by the Northern Elders Forum for President Muhammadu Buhari’s resignation over insecurity.

The NEF had in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, asked the President to step down from his position over the government’s inability to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, who reacted to the Northern elders’ demand in a statement, said the President’s resignation would never be a solution to the nation’s security problems.

He added that the government would undertake reform of the country’s internal security architecture soon.

According to him, security agencies have since intensified efforts to address the recent spike in terrorist activity, particularly in the Kaduna and Niger States axis as well as in the Niger Delta region, in line with the President’s directives.

The statement read: “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.

“It is enough to say from our part, that a 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.

READ ALSO: Northern Elders renew demand for Buhari’s resignation over insecurity

“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, 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 defense establishment, in response to presidential directives, has realigned and reorganized the ongoing operation in the areas, as well as that going on in the Niger Delta region.

“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 whose 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.

“Only this morning, the government, at a meeting of the cabinet, approved the procurement of the largest ever single procurement of military vehicles.’’

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