The Acting National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, yesterday described the Christmas Day bombings in parts of the country by the dreaded Boko Haram sect as a terrorist act.
Alhaji Baraje made this declaration yesterday in a chat with newsmen Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
He said: “It is our belief that these people – whatever name they call themselves – are not acting on behalf of any religious sect. Security has been a major challenge not only to the government but the PDP as a whole.
“It is unfortunate that the bombings of Christmas Day elicited great outpouring of emotions from all of us. Christmas Day is a day of celebration, a day of joy and a very remarkable day in the life of all of us – not only Christians, and for anybody -? whatever religion he claims to belong to, to have used that day to carry out this dastardly act is reprehensible.
“The PDP has come out with government to condemn the act in clear terms. That is why we call on all Nigerians to support our security agencies by furnishing them with useful information, so that their efforts to make life easier for us will be appreciated. I also believe that the efforts of government in that direction will not go in vain.”
Baraje also disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would be privatised, adding that privatising the refining of petroleum “will put a stop to the notorious and hydra-headed importation of fuel.
“Once that is stopped, then landing cost will be brought to the barest minimum. Availability of fuel will now be as a result of how much you are able to purchase from the source.”
Justifying PDP’s support for oil subsidy removal, Baraje said, “We have sat down with experts and they have convinced us with practical indices that we might be able to sustain the retention of fuel subsidy between now and the next two years but, thereafter, we will not be able to sustain it; and that this country will be in perpetual penury.
indebtedness to other countries, coupled with the fact that our oil – the mono economy we have been depending on, will dry up in the next 20 -25 years.
“With that there is the need for us to protect what we have now, to ensure that the huge amount of money which we are even borrowing to subsidise stops, and that whatever we have now as gain from subsidy will be directed towards special areas in the development of our society.