ACN Asks Jonathan To Remove Soldiers From Lagos

The Lagos State Chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to listen to the wise counsel of the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola and other eminent Nigerians and take the soldiers out of Lagos now in the interest of peace and harmony.

In a release signed by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the party warns that President Jonathan is violating the tenets and principles of democracy and rule of law by retaining soldiers in Lagos even after the number one security officer of the state has said that it is unnecessary, unwarranted and unacceptable.

“There was no serious organised threat to security of life and property in Lagos , the rallies were 80% concentrated at Gani Fawehinmi Park Ojota, and Lagosians were very reasonable and creative during the protests to warrant the deployment of army of occupation in the metropolis.

“As at the time of writing this today (11.40a.m. precisely), soldiers were still seen in different parts of the metropolis thereby creating a sense of siege in the minds of law abiding and very sophisticated Lagosians.

“Lagos ACN reminds President Goodluck Jonathan that we are in a democracy and no sensible democratically elected president can deploy soldiers on the streets at the drop of a hat at peace times unless such a president is saddled with dictatorial tendencies”

“We are not unmindful of the fact that the Lagos crowd President Jonathan saw at Ojota rattled him and sent panic to the PDP weak leadership in Abuja . You can always know a weak leader by ways he or she jumps into unwarranted and irrational decisions even when such decisions are unnecessary.”

According to the party, “the PDP hawks and empty brains in Lagos and Abuja have been celebrating their narrow escape from outright humiliation by the angry and long-abused Nigerians but we warn that it is not over until it is over.

“Lagos ACN warns that nothing should be done to diminish the integrity and high rating of the Fashola-led government in Lagos by President Goodluck Jonathan and his army of occupation.

“If President Jonathan is looking for where to deploy his soldiers we suggest that he takes them to areas where Boko Haram has been terrorizing, ravaging and killing Nigerians in their hundreds every day and daring the PDP-led Federal Government to challenge them.

“President Goodluck Jonathan, please take your soldiers out of Lagos as Governor Fashola has the capacity and whatever it takes to provide security for all Lagosians and until he writes an official letter asking the Federal Government for help, the presence of soldiers in Lagos is not only an aberration but provocative.”