on Sunday.
The opposition party said it was shocked that at the time Nigerians expected the Presidency to take immediate steps to restore order, safeguard the lives of the people, exert justice and bring succor to victims of the carnage, the Buhari Presidency toed the path of divisiveness, which was capable of worsening the tensed situation on the Plateau.
The statement which was signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbodinyan, said it was unfortunate that rather than taking actions to get to the roots of the killings and banditry in the land, President Muhammadu Buhari resorted to political colourations by engaging in blame game.
The president had claimed on Monday that some desperate politicians were behind the killings. It however failed to name the culprits.
President Buhari, who was reacting to recent clashes in Plateau, which left scores dead, said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja, that those behind the killings hoped that it would give them an advantage in the coming elections.
He said: “We know that a number of geographical and economic factors are contributing to the longstanding herdsmen/farmers clashes.
“But we also know that politicians are taking advantage of the situation. This is incredibly unfortunate.
“Nigerians affected by the herdsmen/ farmer clashes must always allow the due process of the law to take its course rather than taking matters into their own hands.’’
But the PDP said such comment was disgusting.
“It is disgusting that the Buhari Presidency relegated the main issue of the murder of our citizens and how to track down the perpetrators and bring them to book, thus confirming the fears of most Nigerians that this administration does not care about the lives of the people.
“PDP insists that the basic responsibility of government, which is to ensure the safety and harmonious living of all Nigerians, ensure that our laws apply at all times and circumstances, without any fear or favour, has been completely abdicated by the Buhari administration, thereby leaving our people at the mercy of marauders.
“Moreover, it is shocking that the President, as the father of our nation had no soothing or reassuring words for the agonizing victims of the attack but aggravated their pains with the unguarded comments attributed to him by his media aide.
“The PDP therefore demands an unreserved apology from President Buhari for his comments and manifest insensitivity to the plight of the victims of the Plateau massacre.”