APC led Government has failed Nigerians on Security – Wike

The Governor of Rivers State Mr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said that the All Progressive Congress (APC) led government of President Muhammadu Buhari is not doing what it is supposed to do in combatting the alarming security situation in Nigeria.

He said that the government must agree that they have failed, they need support, they need ideas to tackle the growing insecurity in the country; but if the  APC government does not realize they need help, what solutions can anyone proofer?

Banditry, kidnappings is getting too much on our people – Traditional rulers

Wike speaking on Channels TV lamented that the issue of security is paramount in any society. When a government can’t protect lives and property, that government has failed and there is no propaganda that can change the narrative.

On how to solve the lingering security issues, Wike said Government must take a definitive decision. Citing Rivers State as an example, he noted that after the recent killings in Rivers, the State Executive met and reviewed the security apparatus in the State.

We gathered that the attackers were coming from Owerri at the wee hours of the day, so we put in place a curfew that makes it difficult for insurgents to sneak in, commit crimes, and sneak out of Rivers State.

Currently, if you are coming from Aba, Owerri, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, from 8pm you cannot enter Rivers State. That is one of the proactive decisions that we have taken to curb insecurity.

Wike asked: ‘Is the government at the center willing to cooperate with the states to fight this insecurity, rather than politicizing and propaganda? Security is not a party responsibility, it is a general responsibility for everyone in Government. If the APC Govt is willing, then collectively we can get it right.

Wike noted that the APC Government lacked sincerity of purpose, as he was shocked to hear the lamentation of the Niger state Governor saying that he had cried out to the federal government for help to curb the growing insurgency and banditry in Niger State but nothing was done by the Federal Government.

If an APC State Government can cry out and the APC government at the center did not answer him what solution can they provide for the ordinary Nigerian? He noted that the government at the center is not interested in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians as there is no day you wake up without hearing about the wanton loss of lives from Insurgency, Banditry, and Cultism.

The Federal Government is more interested in rhetorics, they will tell you we are on top of the situation, we will do all we can and at the end of the day, nothing will be done.

He went on to advise the APC lead government that they must agree that they can’t contain the situation as it is today and everybody has to sit down not on party basis or affinity but as one Nigeria. We need to properly assess the situation and find ways to deal with it.

When asked whether the government should seek external help, Wike said: When you have problems there is nothing wrong with seeking help from those who have the capacity to help whether it is America China Russia, etc.  There is nothing you can provide in terms of governance when you don’t provide security everything you are doing goes down to zero. What is good governance without security it doesn’t make sense