Jonathan playing dirty politics with Chibok girls’ plight – APC

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Jonathan administration of seeking to negotiate the timing of the release of the Chibok girls to create a maximum public relations boost for itself, rather than out of a genuine concern for the girls who are now in their sixth month in captivity.

In a statement issued in London yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the clearest evidence of the government’s manipulation of the girls’ release came during President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

‘’Apparently assured, somehow, that the girls were about to be released, the administration had set up an elaborate publicity event in New York, rented the necessary crowd and booked back-to-back interviews with the international media to enable the President to luxuriate in the girls’ release. This event was billed for the five-star Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, close to the UN Headquarters.

APC condemned the shameless politicization of the plight of the Chibok girls, saying since the incompetence of the Jonathan Administration led to the abduction of the girls in the first instance, it must not seek to make political capital out of their release.

‘’What should be paramount is securing the release of the girls as soon as possible, not securing their release to fit with a schedule that benefits Goodluck Jonathan politically. For the girls, their parents and indeed all good people of Nigeria, this abduction saga has been a nightmare. It is time for it to end,’’ the party said.