Denying Gen. Buhari to land in Makurdi airport another act of tyranny – Akume

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume yesterday criticised the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for denying Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) landing rights at Makurdi Airport on Wednesday.

According to a press statement issued by Senator Akume, “The Nigerian National Dailies and online media today (yesterday) carried a shocking news report that a plane conveying General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military Head of State and Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) was on Wednesday, refused landing rights at the airport in Makurdi, which is part of the constituency I represent.

“General Buhari was expected in my constituency to consult with APC supporters and delegates ahead of our party’s national convention in December, 2014. No cogent reason has so far been given for this flagrant abuse of the fundamental human rights of Gen. Buhari by the authorities concerned.

“This is yet another act of tyranny by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, which has failed woefully in solving our economic and security problems.

“Only last week, the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba usurped the functions of the judiciary by declaring that the election of Rt. Aminu Tambuwal into the House of Representatives has been voided on account of his defection from the PDP to the APC.

“He followed up this declaration with an invasion of the National Assembly and barring the Speaker and other members from gaining access to the Legislative Complex. He even ordered the tear gassing of the Speaker and other members of the House and Senate.

“The President is in constant breach of his oath of office to be fair to all Nigerians in his official conduct. Just recently, the Makurdi Airport was open to staff and political associates of Mr. President, who were in Makurdi for the 50th birthday celebration of the Governor of Benue State. Why is Gen. Buhari an exception?”  He queried.

He further said the Police and the military must clearly understand that they are not the security wing of the ruling PDP. According to him: “They should be neutral in the conduct of national security business. Their conduct to the opposition, APC, raises a red flag of what to expect in the 2015 general elections where their Commander-in-Chief faces an electoral contest. The security agencies owe their allegiance to the nation, not Mr. President or his party.

“I call on Mr. President to demonstrate by conduct, not mere words, that national institutions especially, security agencies are immune from politics under his watch as Commander-in-Chief”.