The Peoples Democratic Party has reiterated its allegations that the opposition All Progressives Congress is responsible for the escalation of terrorist activities in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday.
The party explained that inflammatory statements made by the leaders of the APC sparked off the hatred against the President Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP administration.
He urged Nigerians to stand up and resist those he called unpatriotic elements, whose actions and utterances had continued to fuel insurgency in the country.
According to Metuh, inflammatory utterances by certain “key politicians” against the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan sparked off hatred against the administration by their followers, while attracting impudent insurgents, who started demanding the ouster of the President with threats to cripple the system through acts of terrorism.
The statement partly read, “When the PDP, said that the APC is responsible for the spate of terror in Nigeria, many had an emotional response, but it is now time to dispassionately focus on the facts in order to stop the carnage on innocent Nigerians.
“Whilst we concede that insurgency existed in the nation before the advent of the current administration, we wish to point out that inflammatory utterances from leaders, many of whom by design or otherwise are now chieftains of the APC have succeeded in emboldening them to launch large scale attacks, maiming and killing our people, believing their actions enjoy the approval of such leaders.”
The party observed that such utterances would likely have prompted donations in support of insurgency from followers of such leaders, who thought they were sponsoring a worthy cause.
It also noted those who earlier issued these threats refrained from condemning the acts of terrorism until well-meaning Nigerians started pointing accusing fingers at them.
The party insisted that it was not a coincidence that after Gen Muhammadu Buhari beckoned on his supporters to go on a lynching spree, should he lose the 2011 presidential election; an unprecedented violence broke out, claiming the lives of hundreds of innocent Nigeria.
When contacted, the Interim National Publicity Secretary to the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in a text message to our correspondent “An appropriate response will be issued tomorrow.”