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APC UK led by its Chair - Dr Idaewor presents the message to the Office of the British Prime Minister
A Metropolitan Police Officer receiving the message from APC UK's Deputy General Secretary - Francis Akpan-Iwang (left) and Chairman - Dr. Philip Idaewor (right).
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A delegation of APC UK pose in front of 10 Downing Street
From left to right: APC delegation to Downing Street London, Philip Ilenbarenemen (Publicity Secretary), Prince Adebisi Olukoga (Auditor), Philip Idaewor (Chairman), Tunde Doherty (Deputy Chairman), Francis Akpan-Iwang (Deputy General Secretary) and Michael Oshinyemi (Treasurer)
A delegation of leaders of the United Kingdom (UK) Chapter of Nigeria's leading opposition party - the All Progressive Congress, led by its Chairman, Dr Philip Idaewor has visited Number 10 Downing Street, in Whitehall, the residence of the British Prime Minister and Head of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, The Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP, to hand over a message from the APC alerting him to the clear and present dangers facing Nigeria and capable of derailing the democratic dispensation in the country even as the murderous terrorist group, Boko Haram are allowed to roam free to steal, kidnap, kill and destroy with their bombs and guns.
A Press Release jointly signed by APC UK's Publicity Secretary - Philip Ilenbarenemen and Deputy Publicity Secretary - Kenneth Onyeji stated that the "visit was informed by the increasing concerns being expressed by political leaders and groups in the United Kingdom regarding the accusations of relationship(s) between the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram and Nigerian politicians and/or political parties.
"Of particular concern to us are the following very serious speculations in the British political arena such as the Houses of Parliament:
- Two Honourable members of the House of Commons posed some questions and notices requesting the Foreign and Commonwealth Minister to investigate speculations and allegations of some relationship between the All Progressives Congress (APC); a progressive-leaning and the main opposition political party in Nigeria; and the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
- In these same questions and notices, it is being speculated that some members of the APC may also be sponsors and/or supporters of Boko Haram.
- A Conservative Party Think Tank, the Bow Group, on the 23rd of July also published a document, titles "Exposing and Defeating Boko Haram Why the West must unite to help Nigeria defeat terrorism”, in which it categorically made statements, innuendoes and asked questions regarding the relationship between APC, some of her members, and Boko Haram.
"These are very weighty speculations calculated and designed to cause maximum embarrassment for the APC, Nigeria’s major opposition political party with social democracy and liberalism at the heart of its progressive ideology right in the hallowed chambers of Westminster democracy – The House of Commons (the equivalent of Nigeria’s National Assembly)."
The Release added that "We make bold to tell the world today that the APC is a party committed to the fulfilment of a social contract to free Nigerians from the shackles of a mind-numbing culture of corruption, which engenders poverty, disease, illiteracy, massive youth and women unemployment and general neglect of the populace with the arrogant active abuse of power with impunity in the heart of the practice.
"The utmost good health and security of Nigeria is of paramount concern to us in the All Progressives Congress, APC, therefore we view with all seriousness these innuendoes being bandied around by our detractors that our party could be linked in any way with the destructive and destabilising activities of some misguided Nigerians who are determined to use all means necessary to destabilise our dear country.
"APC unequivocally condemns the terror group called Boko Haram for its sustained campaign of destruction of lives and property with the determination to return Nigeria to the dark ages of ignorance, illiteracy, disease, servitude and general backwardness. We repudiate any notion of the existence of links between APC and Boko Haram.
"By its own actions and utterances, Boko Haram has shown itself not to be a Muslim group. It is not religious in any way. It is simply a terrorist group of robbers, kidnappers, extortionist, murderers and destroyers. Boko Haram and its sponsors are dastardly deceivers who have hoodwinked poor Nigerians who have fallen on difficult times with their filthy lucre to wage war on their fatherland. Boko Haram is simply put, HARAM!
"We note that Nigerians are again being forced to go back to that era of infamy, when Nigeria was ruled with impunity and complete disregard for the constitution by several actions and pronouncement of the PDP-controlled Federal Government. In those inglorious days, government promoted corruption to the level of government policy and ruled us through a catalogue of lies and intimidation with extra judicial murders at will. The APC is saying a resounding NO to all these shenanigans and duplicity from the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria has come of age – we now know better. We all stand solidly for a democratic Nigeria based on the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"The APC stands for a Nigeria where the Government is only by the consent of the governed. We are proud to declare without fear or favour that many of the top leaders of the APC including the present National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, fought gallantly against the military government of late General Sani Abacha to enthrone democracy in Nigeria. To survive that junta, many went into inclement exile in the Western world to fight for Nigeria and our people. They returned home to partake in the democratisation process by championing the cause of the real freedom of our people. How then can anyone question the integrity of these men, whose sacrifices and suffering contributed to securing the democracy our detractors are now enjoying and abusing as the rulers of Nigeria? How can these APC leaders be the ones who will seek to emasculate liberty and freedoms in the nation they so fearlessly fought to preserve?
"In fact, we dare to say that it is the other way round – the PDP are a threat to democracy in Nigeria. It is our view that the PDP is full of anti-democratic forces busy at work today and are willing to do anything to retain their vice grip on the levers of power."
The APC recalled President Jonathan's statement on Sunday, January 8, 2012, during an inter-denominational service to mark the 2012 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Ecumenical Centre Abuja, when he told the world that his government has been infiltrated by Boko Haram: "Some of them are in the executive arm of government; some of them are in the parliamentary/legislative arm of government while some of them are even in the judiciary.
"Some are also in the armed forces, the police and other security agencies. Some continue to dip their hands and eat with you and you won't even know the person who will point a gun at you or plant a bomb behind your house."
The opposition Party also recalled a statement credited to Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, former National Chairman of the PDP, in The Punch newspaper of 16th May 2012: “Let there be peace in the north so that we can have security.
“We can’t even travel again because of insecurity in the region. Boko Haram is fighting for justice. Boko Haram is another name for justice.”
APC queried: "Is there any wonder, why the PDP is pointing accusing finger at others when even at its very apex, you can see open links with or knowledge of Boko Haram?
APC UK concluded that "As APC leaders have done since the 13th of July in Lagos, Nigeria, we are calling for the immediate empanelling of ‘... an International Panel of Inquiry into the activities of the terror group, Boko Haram in order to unravel its modus operandi and sponsors as well as any individual or group that may have links with the insurgents, with a view to ending, once and for all, the debate over who is behind the insurgency and also to facilitate efforts to tackle it decisively. The inquiry should include intelligence experts from the US, UK, France and Canada, as well as representatives of the UN and Nigeria's neighbours Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
"Others to join the panel should ‘ ... include representatives of the Nigerian military and other security agencies, especially the police and the Departments of State Security, Governments of the States worst-hit by the Boko Haram insurgency, including Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Kano, Bauchi and Jigawa, the Federal Capital Territory, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Civil Society Organisations, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Bar Association and any other relevant individuals or groups as well as the PDP, APC and some other political parties."
The opposition Party also called "on the PDP-controlled Federal Government to demilitarise the election process in the country by obeying the 2005 Court of Appeal judgement, which declared the use of the military for election duties unconstitutional."