Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, yesterday, faulted what he described as President Muhammadu Buhari’s double faced reaction to violence in the country, saying that the President was quick to react to the situation in Rivers State, a far cry from the violent exploits of Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.
Fayose, while also condemning the spate of violence in Rivers State said: “Only a president with ulterior political motives will elevate political violence above the kind of genocide carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.”
Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said that it was strange that the same President Buhari who did not utter a word until over 400 Agatu people of Benue State were murdered, swiftly reacted to the reported political violence in Rivers State from faraway Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.
“In Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, Fulani herdsmen allegedly killed over 400 people, including children and pregnant women, destroyed more than 10 villages. President Buhari did not raise his voice against this genocide until I condemned his silence.
“Also in Mile 12, Lagos, when 15 persons, including two children, were killed with property worth several millions of naira destroyed during a clash between Hausa and Yoruba traders, President Buhari did not give the security services any clear directives to deal decisively with anyone. “Even though one is not against any action of the government aimed at curbing violence in whatever form, it is pertinent to ask the President whether or not killing of Nigerians should only attract his attention when it involves elections.
“From all indications, the President’s reaction to the reported violence in Rivers State is part of the grand plot to rig the re-run elections holding in the state on Saturday, but the President must know that the people of Rivers State will not be cowed into allowing Abuja to impose leaders on them.
“Buhari and his APC should be reminded of the level of violence they unleashed on PDP members and supporters during the governorship election in Bayelsa State, in which several souls were lost. Yet, PDP still won and Rivers State will not be an exception.
“Most importantly, if the President is serious about dealing with perpetrators of violence, he should first deal with those Fulani herdsmen who admitted that they murdered children and pregnant women in Agatu villages of Benue State because 10,000 of their cattle were allegedly killed by people of the area,” Fayose said.
