APC hails government on release of 21 Chibok girls

By Yetunde Bada

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts at securing the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped over two years ago.

The National chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, gave the commendation while speaking in a telephone interview with newsmen in Abuja.

It would be recalled that Boko Haram insurgents had seized 276 girls at the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno, on the night of April 14, 2014.

According to Odigie-Oyegun, the release of the girls is an indication that the President and the party will keep to all its promises to Nigeria people.

“It is a major achievement for the government and the party. I congratulate the President for keeping to his promise of rescuing the Chibok girls.

“We believe that in the next few months that more achievements will be made in this direction.

“This is an indication that the APC government and President Buhari will make do its promises to Nigerians,’’ he said.

Also in a statement, a group under the aegis of Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) described the girls’ release as an affirmation of Buhari’s pragmatism.

In the statement signed by its Chairman, Malam Muhammad Labo and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, it said,“the release of 21 Chibok girls is not just cheering news but a clear evidence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s pragmatic approach to resolving national challenges.

“The BMSG commends the administration of Buhari for the release of the 21 Chibok girls.

“While congratulating the parents of the released girls, in particular, and Nigerians, on the cheery news of the release of the girls, the BMSG observes that the President should be appreciated.

“He should be appreciated for subjecting the dictates of sovereignty that limit negotiation of any sorts with terrorists, officially, to the empathy of parenthood and the soft emotions of a father.
“The President has, by this singular act, excited the Nigerian masses by sacrificing the universal doctrine of no negotiation with terrorists for empathy.

“ We specially thank the president for this even as we acknowledge the efforts of other mediators in the negotiated release of the Chibok girls.

“This has further enhanced our confidence in the president as a man who matches his word with action.

“Under 16 months in government, Buhari has degraded the once dreaded Boko Haram terrorists off Nigerian territory and reduced the once seeming protracted rebellion into a whimper.’’

– NAN