By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Jonathan Administration of seeking to negotiate the timing of the release of the Chibok girls to create a maximum public relations boost for itself, rather than out of a genuine concern for the girls who are now in their sixth month in captivity.
In a statement issued in London yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the clearest evidence of the government’s manipulation of the girls’ release came during President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.
The APC said: “Apparently assured, somehow, that the girls were about to be released, the administration had set up an elaborate publicity event in New York, rented the necessary crowd and booked back-to-back interviews with the international media to enable the president to luxuriate in the girls’ release.
“This event was billed for the five-star Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, close to the UN headquarters.
“Nigerians will remember that on September 23, the military announced, on Twitter, the imminent release of the girls, only to retract the statement shortly thereafter. In the intervening period, thousands of ‘supporters’ of the president had gathered at the Pierre Hotel to welcome the president after the release of the girls, while media interviews had been booked for him.
“Such an occasion required prior organisation and, therefore, prior knowledge by both the government and attendees of the timing of any release of the girls. This whole episode was timed to also coincide with President Jonathan’s speech to the UN General Assembly on the following day, September 24, and to secure maximum advantage for the government.
“Somehow, the whole process collapsed like a pack of cards, to the chagrin of those seeking to exploit the innocent girls for political advantage.”
It condemned the politicisation of the plight of the Chibok schoolgirls, saying that since the incompetence of the government led to the abduction of the girls in the first instance, it must not seek to make political capital out of their release.
“What should be paramount is securing the release of the girls as soon as possible, not securing their release to fit with a schedule that benefits Goodluck Jonathan politically.
“For the girls, their parents and indeed all good people of Nigeria, this abduction saga has been a nightmare. It is time for it to end.”
It said the same Jonathan Administration that rebuffed appeals from well-meaning Nigerians to negotiate the release of the girls in their early days in captivity had suddenly swung into feverish action, sending its cronies to negotiate with the abductors and even expressing the readiness to swap the detained Boko Haram commanders for the girls.
