The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of its Edo State Chapter Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, who was abducted in Benin City, Edo State capital.
Expressing serious concerns over Dr. Aziegbemi’s abduction, the party said that such development pointed to the alarming failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government in its primary duty to ensure the security and welfare of Nigerians as provided under Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Hon Debo Ologunagba, said that the party is distressed by the alarming spate of abduction of helpless Nigerians in various parts of the country, particularly the recent kidnap of about 286 school children in Kaduna State and others in Sokoto State, who are still being held in horrifying and traumatizing conditions in their abductor’s den.
“It is heartrending that the APC administration continues to give false assurances while Nigerians are left at the mercies of kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and marauders without corresponding concrete effort to check the ugly occurrences,” PDP said.
The party called on the Federal Government to end its laidback attitude to security by immediately rejigging “our national security architecture, especially in the areas of intelligence gathering, security command and control coordination in a manner that not only proactively ensure the safety of citizens, but also guarantees rapid respond and effective rescue operations.”
The PDP commended “our gallant security personnel in their patriotic effort to secure our nation and urges them not to relent despite the dauting challenges.”
The Party also commended the efforts of the Edo State Governor, Governor Godwin Obaseki particularly in the deployment of effective security frameworks and structures which the security agencies should leverage on to further guarantee the safety of citizens in Edo State and other parts of the country.
While calling on Nigerians to be prayerful, alert and continue to support our security agencies, the PDP charged the Security high command to take urgent steps to secure the release of Dr. Aziegbemi and all other Nigerians trapped in abductors’ camps in various parts of the country.
