A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former member representing Anambra Central Senatorial Distinct in the 5th National Assembly, Senator Ben Ndi Obi has described last week’s attack on the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) as a national calamity.
Obi, in an interview with journalists in Awka, Anambra State, on Monday said there was a need to declare an emergency on the country’s security architecture.
Bandits had last week attacked the NDA, killing one senior military officer, while taking two others captive.
Obi in his reaction to the attack said: “The NDA is where the best and brightest of our military are trained. If it was easily invaded and officers killed and abducted, it is horrible and the government has to do something.
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“The government must also engage the people because by and large, every security issue that erupts comes from a particular area.
“The villagers know the formentors of these crises in the country and will only keep quiet if they don’t have a relationship with the leadership which must be committed.”
Obi said the authorities have to be open in their demand for foreign help to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country, adding that the clear message the attack on the NDA is sending to Nigerians is that nowhere is safe again in the county.
He described as unfortunate the fact that the country found itself engulfed in crisis and insecurity stating that the pockets of agitations from some sections of the country point to lack of confidence in leadership at both the local and central levels of government.
Speaking on the crisis in the PDP, Obi, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) said it is nothing new; but that what matters is the ability of the leadership of the party to manage it.
He however suggested that with a national election expected to hold in 2023, it would be better that the crisis is resolved before the election; adding that the situation is under control.
“Politics is full of permutations and people express their opinions the way it suits them. The party in its recent enlarged meeting agreed to set up a committee to determine a convention date earlier than December.
“I can tell you that the PDP is still the party to the beat, and in the November 6, governorship election in Anambra State, the party’s candidate, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo carries with him a lot of credentials, and has united the aggrieved members in the state chapter, while working hard in gloves with its leadership in the state.
“Ozigbo’s campaign committee chaired by Senator Uche Ekwunife is one good squad that will do everything required to ensure the party triumphs at the election,” he said.