The Peoples Democratic Party and the Coalition of United
Political Parties have condemned the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria’s endorsement of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s re-election bid for a second term in office.
The association’s endorsement came during its 5th General
Meeting held in Abuja on Thursday.
The National President, MACBAN, Alhaji Muhammadu Kirowa, had
said the association’s decision to support the President was
because “no administration had looked into our plight the way
President Buhari has done since the inception of the
association.”
But the CUPP’s first national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, said
while the endorsement did not come to the opposition political
parties as a surprise, they were shocked that Buhari could accept
such endorsement.
He argued that by accepting the endorsement, the President had
proved that he was not concerned about the lives lost through the
activities of some members of the association.
He added, “The endorsement did not come to us as a surprise. The
next people that will endorse Buhari are Boko Haram members.”
The PDP also said the endorsement might be a way to show
appreciation to the President for reportedly keeping quiet over the
alleged killings the herdsmen had visited on innocent Nigerians in
the past.
The action, it said, would remind Nigerians of the alleged
killings of innocent Nigerians by the violent herdsmen.
Although the PDP acknowledged that some herdsmen “are not in
support of the killings and forceful takeover of people’s land,” it
said the President had never openly castigated the violent herders
for the evil they had been visiting on innocent Nigerians.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who
spoke with one of our correspondents on Saturday, asked Nigerians
to be ready for what he described as “tough time” with elections
drawing nearer.
He added that the President might be claiming endorsement from
individuals and groups without consulting them.
He said, “The so-called endorsement reminds us of many killings
by the herdsmen which were never condemned by the President
Buhari-led Federal Government. It also reminds of sorrows and cries
by relations of those that had been killed.”
Read more pdp-cupp-condemn-miyetti-allahs-endorsement-of-buhari/