The National Security Adviser, General Owoeye Azazi, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party is culpable in the emergence of dreaded sect, Boko Haram.
Owoeye, according to a report monitored on Channels Television, said that because of the manner in which the PDP forced candidates for election on the members of the party instead of allowing for nomination in a democratic manner, could have encouraged revolt that resulted in the emergence of a dreaded group like Boko Haram.
Owoeye, who spoke at the Second South south Economic Summit holding in Asaba, Delta State, said: “In discussing the relationship between national security and development, let me say that one cannot do without the other.
“First, let me say that the PDP got it all wrong when it adopted its policy of saying this one can stand for election and that one cannot.
“A situation where a political party insists on fielding a particular candidate over another to get a massive win, and that if they get that massive that the party has arrived is the source of the problem.
“Is it possible that somebody was thinking that only Mr. A could win and that if he could not win, there would be problems in this society?
“Let’s examine all those issues to see whether the level of violence in the North East just escalated because Boko Haram suddenly became better trained, better equipped and better funded or something else was responsible.
“And in any case, how did they get it all done?
“It takes very long for somebody to be a sniper.
“But I can assure you that Boko Haram can garner that level of sophistication over time, if it has not got it already.
“There are a lot we know that they are doing and there are a lot that could be done to address the problem.
“But then I must also be quick to point out that today, even if all the leaders that we know in Boko Haram are arrested, I don’t think the problem would end because there are tentacles.
“I don’t think that people would be satisfied because the situation that created the problems are not just about the religion, poverty or the desire to rule Nigeria.
“I think it’s a combination of everything.
“Except you address all those things comprehensively, it would not work.
“It is not enough for us to have a problem in 2009 and you send soldiers to stop the situation, then tomorrow you drive everybody underground.
“You must look at what structures you need to put in place to address the problem holistically.
“There are economic problems in the North, which are not the exclusive prerogative of the Northerners.
“We must solve our problems as a country.”