The APC and The Culture of Violence - Femi Fani-Kayode Once again supporters of the APC, whilst chanting sai Buhari and carrying brooms, have stoned our candidate President Goodluck Jonathan whilst he was on his way to a rally in the north. It happened in Bauchi state. This is the second time that this has happened in two days. The first time it happened in Katsina state. Worse still this time around their violent actions have resulted in the brutalisation, wounding and hospitalisation of no less than six of President Jonathans security operatives. Once again, just as it was in Katsina, the whole thing was well-orchestrated and well-funded by the APC and there is an obvious conspiracy to hurt and intimidate the President and his supporters and prevent them from campaigning in the north. This is despite the fact that Jonathan is very popular in many parts of the north and he has millions of followers there. We wish to assure the APC that this barbaric and uncivilised behavior will not deter Mr. President from campaigning in every nook and cranny of this country because his supporters, in both the north and the south, expect no less from him. The question that Nigerians must ask is this: will Buhari not call his supporters to order and stop this violence unless and until someone is killed? Is that what he and his APC want? Do they want the President and those that go on campaign with him dead? Why do they delight in violence and intimidation? Are they scared of a free and fair election? Can they not handle the prospect of defeat? Has it finally dawned on them that they are going to lose the election woefully and consequently they wish to avoid that by creating a crisis in the country? We warned them about the consequences of their reckless and dangerous behavior, their fondness of attacking the President and his campaign team and their irresponsible and insatiable appetite for aggression and violence when it first happened in Katsina state a few days ago but General Buhari and the APC would not listen and they have refused to call their supporters to order. Instead they have continued to relish and delight in their habitual violence and the most heinous and hideous forms of unprovoked attacks and they have consistently encouraged such behavior. It is no wonder that Buhari was once nominated by Boko Haram to be their negotiator and spokesman when the idea of dialogue with the Federal Government was mooted in 2014. It is interesting to note that when Buharis supporters killed a number of youth corpers after he lost the election in 2011 and wrought havoc in various parts of the north, he refused to apologise to the families of those that were so brutally murdered and he showed absolutely no remorse even though the killings were done in his name. This was despite the national and international condemnation and outrage that those killings attracted. I guess that is Buhari for you: adamant, stubborn and lacking in compassion even where human life was lost. One wonders if the same spirit still resides in him? Is there any indication that he has changed? Is he preparing for a repeat performance of what his supporters did after losing the election in 2011? Does he still hold to his baboon and dog will both be soaked in blood philosophy if he loses the february election? Are his supporters and allies still threatening to make the country ungovernable after he loses the election? We sincerely hope not because this time around he and his supporters may not get away with it so lightly. We wish to take this opportunity to serve them notice of a final warning: if they do not desist from these unprovoked attacks and if anything untoward should happen to President Goodluck Jonathan whilst he is on campaign or even after the election the consequences will be grave and worse than they can possibly imagine. Buhari was not attacked by supporters of the PDP when he campaigned anywhere in the south so why should President Jonathan be attacked by supporters of the APC when he campaigns in the north? Enough is enough. The behaviour of the APC in this respect is utterly reprehensible and we condemn it in the strictest terms. Under no circumstances should violence be condoned or encouraged by them or anyone else because this is simply an election and not a war. The truth is that the APC have become utterly desperate because they can see defeat staring them in the face. They have found it difficult to come to terms with the fact their their candidate is a man with questionable health who has been rejected by the Nigerian people and who does not have the strength, energy or vision to govern Nigeria.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 11:38:50 +0000
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