A group, League of Upcoming Political Parties has condemned the statement attributed to the Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the process leading to the release of the 82 Chibok school girls.
The Makarfi led PDP had on Sunday issued a press statement signed by its national publicity secretary which faulted the process of negotiating with the Boko Haramoterrorists saying it violates international best practices on no negotiation with terrorists.
National coordinator of the league, Dr. Musa Ahmadu, in a statement on Monday, said Makarfi who had served a the chief security officer of a state for eight years, should have known better than to try to p-lay politics with the lives of innocent ctitzens.
“The comment of the PDP at a time when the whole world was congratulating the federal government for leading the initiative that saved the lives of 82 innocent young girls, brought joy to their homes and rekindled the hope of the citizenry that it is now blessed with an effective government which can go all length to secure the lives of its citizens, comes as the worst case of sour graping especially given the role the same PDP played in frustrating the release of the Chibok girls which further emboldened the terrorist to inflict more harm on the territorial integrity of the country,” the group stated.
The group said the Makarfi faction by claiming that the strategy used by the federal government violates the principle of best practices is an indication that it has forgotten that developed countries like the US which is the lead figure in the fight against terrorism has never closed the path towards negotiation when it’s interest is at stake and has many times entered into negotiations with terrorists groups and exchanged prisoners to secure the lives of hostages.
The league said the federal government should be commended for ensuring the release of the school girls and bringing happiness to their families as at the end, it is the result that counts not the strategy.
“The Makarfi faction seems to have forgotten that at the end of every strategy or engagement, it is the result that matters and that best practices are not statutes but strategies hence cannot be violated but replaced when the matter demands a different approach,” the group said.
It added that the recent release of the 82 girls rather than sadden the parents of those that are yet to return as claimed by the PDP will reignite the hope of the parents of those yet to see their children that it remains a matter of time for them to be equally lucky and has erased the despondency created by the PDP government when it was in power which kept making statements about its helplessness on the situation and inflicting psychological torture on the parents.
Said the group: “We hope by the statement, Makarfi and his faction are not saying that no girl should be brought home until the entire 200 are found because that type of reasoning does not belong in the realm of rationality.
“The current release of the 82 girls needs to be stressed has not only restored hope in the whole of Chibok , Borno State and Nigeria but globally , that not only are these girls alive and well but with the application of efficient strategies like the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has done, the remaining girls would be found and rescued.”
The league said the federal government should be commended for ensuring the release of the school girls and bringing happiness to their families as at the end, it is the result that counts not the strategy.
The group added, “One cannot see how the release of a few detainees in exchange for the lives of innocent girls captured in their school would amount to re-arming the group as the personnel, weaponry and strategy of the Nigerian military which has led to the current success is not only intact but being honed for better results.
“If anything, the acceptance by the insurgents of a swap agreement can be seen as an act of surrender since they realised that the cannot attack security facilities to free their members as they were doing in the days of the PDP when they attacked Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, Birni State and the DSS facility in Abuja!
But it must be made clear to Makarfi and his co-travellers that the current administration places high premium on the sanctity of human lives and respect for human rights which has been the hallmark of the current military in all its operations.
The league advised Makarfi not to allow his frustration with Modu Sheriff rob him on his integrity and wisdom for he is one of the most respected among the tribe of former governors in Nigeria. Issuing this kinds of statements that panders to kindergarten logic would definitely harm his hard earned reputation.
