By Aiyeku Timothy
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), for calling unarmed Nigerians “cowards” for not defending themselves against bandits.
The PDP faulted the Defence Minister for abdicating his statutory responsibility by asking unarmed Nigerians to defend themselves.
Magashi had called on Nigerians to stop being cowards and confront the bandits. The minister equally enjoined Nigerians not to carry arms while doing so following the kidnap in Niger State.
In a statement titled, ‘Abdication: PDP demands defence minister’s sacking’, which was signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, on Thursday, the party described the minister’s comments as reckless and irresponsible.
It read in part, “The PDP demands the immediate sacking of the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.), for abdicating his statutory duties and asking unarmed Nigerians to defend themselves against armed aggression by bandits and terrorists.
“It is unthinkable that a government would describe unarmed victims of armed aggression of terrorist and bandits as ‘cowards’ while those who were elected and given the necessary resources to defend them recede in the comfort and safety of their offices in Abuja.
“Such disposition to security; a statutory responsibility of government, goes to validate apprehensions that our nation is indeed descending to a failed state under the Buhari Presidency, where government can no longer perform its duties while unarmed citizens are left to confront bandits and warlords.”
