Your comment is a statement of failure – Rep tells Adesina

…says he should apologise to Nigerians

Samson Okwu, a member of the House of Representatives representing Obi/Oju Federal Constituency of Benue state, says the comment by Femi Adesina, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, on Benue killings is a “statement of failure”.

Adesina, on Wednesday, had said between 2013 and May 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan was president, 756 people were killed in herdsmen attacks.

According to the spokesman; “In 2013, particularly, there were nine cases of herdsmen invading communities in Benue state alone and more than 190 people were killed. In 2014, there were about 16 of such tragic developments with more than 231 people killed. And then there was a change of government in May 2015. But between January and May 2015, there were six attacks which left about 335 people dead.

“Now, the question is, during that period, did we have a Fulani president? Let nobody say that all this is happening because we have a Fulani president,” the presidential spokesman had said.

But reacting on Thursday to Adesina’s statement, Okwu said during Jonathan’s administration, the spate of killings in the country “were not this bad.”

He said Adesina should apologise to the Benue people and stop blaming the Jonathan administration.

“I think it is a statement of failure, especially at this time that Nigerians voted for All Progressives Congress (APC) so that the insecurity would stop,” the Benue lawmaker said.

“During Jonathan’s administration these killings were not spread in the country as witnessed now. The insecurity was only in some parts of the north-east and north-central but now there’s Enugu Massacre, Edo massacre, Rivers massacre and then Benue.

“I think Mr. Femi should apologise to the people of Benue and Nigerians instead of blaming their failure on President Goodluck Jonathan,” he added.

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