The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Monday, 23 January, 2023, took a swipe again at the opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP) alleging that while the party was in power, it abandoned the people in the northeast to Boko Haram insurgency.
Lawan said it was not until President Muhammadu Buhari came into power before the region was eventually liberated from the clutches of Boko Haram.
The Senate President thanked President Buhari for the many benefits which the northeast enjoyed from his government.
Speaking at the APC Presidential Campaign Rally which was attended by Buhari in Bauchi, the Senate President said: “Mr President, the PDP abandoned the northeast to Boko Haram, to insurgency.
“PDP abandoned us until you came into office. In 2015, when you were sworn in, your first task was to liberate us. Thank you very much that you did.
“Mr President, we in the northeast are probably the most beneficiaries of your administration. Infact, we were the first to start enjoy your administration more than any other part of Nigeria because BoKo Haram was technically defeated immediately you came into office and you appointed our son Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai and of course Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff.
“They did so well that your government gave the security that we are enjoying today. The northeast, from 2015 particularly, enjoyed the most important appointments in your administration. That is to say that you are a northeasterner.
“This crowd is a testimony. Everywhere you go is Buhari, in the northeast.”
Lawan made similar accusation about two weeks ago at a campaign rally in Yobe when he blasted PDP to have allowed Boko Haram insurgency to fester while it was in power.
He criticised PDP to have denied the existence of Boko Haram and allowed the insurgency to blossom instead of doing the needful and curb the menace