#EndSARS: APC, PDP trade blame over Lekki toll gate shootings

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), have tackled each other over the shooting of protesters at Lekki toll plaza in Lagos.

This is following widespread reports of the shooting of youth demanding an end to police brutality in the country by military operatives on Tuesday night.

No less than three persons were reportedly killed during the shootings while many more were severely injured during the unfortunate twist of events.

In its reaction obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, the PDP accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of insensitivity and complicity in handling the sad development.

The PDP said the APC controlled-government has fallen below its expectation in its chain of reactions to the well-articulated #EndSARS protest since it started.

“Our party is, however, shocked at President Buhari’s stance, particularly his inability to demonstrate the capacity for concerned, attentive and proactive governance and command structure, while the nation he presides over dangerously slides into anarchy.

“A well-structured governance response from Mr President, as the father of the nation, would have calmed frayed nerves and averted the crisis, violence, deaths, destruction of property and the avoidable losses we are witnessing today.

“It is indeed heartrending that our once united, viable, resilient and cohesive nation handed over to President Buhari in 2015 is fast collapsing in his hands,” the PDP said, calling on Mr Buhari to address the nation and accept responsibility for the unfortunate incident.

Evading the concerns raised by the main opposition, the APC in a statement, cautioned the former against “playing politics with #EndSARS protest.”

Without evidence, it also accused leaders of the PDP of sponsoring the protest and fueling it continuance through its “unguarded assertions” on social media.

“It is on record that one of the leaders of #EndSARS protest in Akwa Ibom State three days ago publicly admitted that the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, gave N4 million for onward sharing to the protesting youth in Uyo, the state capital.

“Kufre Carter, one of the organisers of the protest reportedly said he got a call from the governor’s aide on youth matters whom he said told him that the governor gave N4 million to be shared to the protesters,” the party’s deputy national spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, noted in the eight paragraph statement without sparing a single sentence for acknowledgement or denial of the Lekki toll gate shooting.