The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national caretaker committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi on Tuesday alleged that some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, planted the false story that President Muhammadu Buhari is dead.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna, he claimed that it was APC leaders who are interested in vying for certain positions in 2019 that masterminded the rumour days after Buhari traveled to the UK for a 10-day vacation during which he would undergo medical check-up.
“The APC should point its searchlight inward and investigate itself as to the source of the rumour. PDP has nothing to gain from anything; those who are peddling the rumour know themselves and they are in APC.
“Some of them are already positioning themselves for power in 2019. APC should investigate itself,” the two-time Kaduna governor stated.
Speaking on the Southern Kaduna crisis, which he described as unfortunate, Makarfi advised the government and the people of the area to resist the urge to politicize the matter.
He said, “It is a serious criminal issue, and, of course, there may be matters that have to do with other things that may not be seen as criminality. I am not in a position to say much because I don’t have all the facts but we must not politicize the matter.
“Even, those outside the state must never politicize this crisis because, if we attempt to politicize it, then the crisis will spread beyond Kaduna and that would be a disaster.”
Makarfi however lauded efforts being made to bring an end to the problem, stating that “We need a body of arbitrators composed of both sides of the divide that the people can have confidence in to try to stem the tide, broker some peace and listen to all sides and come up with ways and manners that we can re-establish stability and lasting peace in that area”.
