By Augustine Aminu, with agency reports
The National Security Adviser, Owoye Azazi, yesterday blamed the current rise of insecurity in the country, especially the attacks by the dreaded Boko Haram sect to what he described as some undemocratic practices by the political parties during elections, especially the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Azazi, who spoke at the on-going South-South Economic Summit in Asaba, Delta state, averred that the insecurity in the north could be traced to the politics of exclusion of the PDP in the region.
According to him; “In discussing the relationship between national security and development, let me say that one cannot do without the other. The issue of violence did not increase in Nigeria until when there was a declaration by the current President that he was going to contest.
“PDP got it wrong from the beginning. The party started by saying Mr. A can rule, and Mr. B cannot rule, according to PDP conventions, rules and regulations and not according to the constitution. That created the climate for what is happening or manifesting itself in country. Is it possible that somebody was thinking that only Mr. A could win, and if he did not win, he could cause a problem in the society.
“Let’s examine all these issues to see whether the level of violence in the North East just escalated because Boko Haram suddenly became better trained, better equipped and better funded, or something else was responsible.”
Azazi, whose views were supported by the Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said the Boko Haram problem would be difficult to resolve without the various stakeholders coming together to address, holistically, the issues that gave fillip to its existence.
“But, I can assure you that Boko Haram can garner that level of sophistication over time, if it has not got it already. There are a lot we know that they are doing, and there are a lot that could be done to address the problem.
“But, then I must also be quick to point out that today, even if all the leaders that we know in Boko Haram are arrested, I don’t think the problem would end, because there are tentacles. I don’t think that people would be satisfied, because the situations that created the problems are not just about the religion, poverty or the desire to rule Nigeria. I think it’s a combination of everything. Except you address all those things comprehensively, it would not work.
“It is not enough for us to have a problem in 2009 and you send soldiers to stop the situation, then tomorrow you drive everybody underground. You must look at what structures you need to put in place to address the problem holistically. There are economic problems in the North, which are not the exclusive prerogative of the Northerners. We must solve our problems as a country.”
Agreeing with Azazi, Oshiomhole, said some of the security situations the country is currently facing could be traced to attempts by a section of the political elite at various levels to manipulate the electoral system and impose themselves on the electorate during election.
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