Nigeria’s biggest opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), is happy with the cancellation of the planned rally by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State in line with the prevailing mood of the nation, especially the abduction of over 200 school children in Borno State.
The rally had been planned for Tuesday, but last week, APC called for its suspension following abduction of the students and other security issues. APC had commented that it would be inhumane of President Goodluck Jonathan to embark on “illegal campaigns” while the country was burning.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC described the suspension “as the very right decision to take under the circumstance.”
It said the suspension of the rally has shown that President Goodluck Jonathan is beginning to hearken to the voices of his compatriots on important national issues.
“As we said in a statement we issued on 24th April, it smacks of insensitivity, inhumanity and indecency for our President and other leaders to be engaged in any celebratory venture when we do not yet know the fate of the school girls who were abducted from their school and taken to an unknown destination,” Mohammed said.
“We also said the President should not repeat the same mistake he made by flying to Kano to dance at a political rally even as the smoke was yet to clear from the scene of the Nyanya bus park bombing. We are delighted that good sense has prevailed this time.”
The party said while the President does not have to shut down the government, he must continue to shun all celebratory public outings until all the school girls have been safely reunited with their families.
Meanwhile, the APC has commiserated with Vice President Namadi Sambo on the death of his younger brother in an auto crash in Abuja.
The party expressed shock and sadness at the incident saying the deceased was a vibrant personality who had the misfortune of such a tragic circumstance.
“Death is never easy to accept, and when it is so unexpected it adds to the grief. But the sweet memories and good deeds of the departed will always be a balm to sooth the indescribable pain of death,” Mohammed added in the statement.
“We sincerely sympathise with the Vice President, the immediate family of the departed as well as his extended family. We pray that God will strengthen and comfort them all in this difficult time.”
