Tinubu condemns blasts at media houses

Ayodele Samuel,Lagos : Tinubu Media Office Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), has condemned the blasts at media houses in Abuja and Kaduna, saying it is a serious attack on Nigeria's democracy. He however offered the opposition's cooperation to President Goodluck Jonathan, to curtail the present dire security situation and end the drift in the polity. "The attacks on the Abuja office of This Day and the Kaduna offices of This Day, Daily Sun and The Moment adds a different and dangerous dimension to the level of insecurity in our country," Tinubu said in reaction to the blasts.  "We have never had it so bad in this country." He said the brazen attack on the three newspapers, in two different locations in the country was red signal that it was time to confront and conquer the precarious political situation in the country, adding that a free press was key to democracy, which, he insisted, underscored an American president's saying that given a choice between having a government without the press or the press without government, he would glad choose the press. "The fact that Boko Haram continues to attack buildings and kill innocent Nigerians un-apprehended is a symptom of the failure of intelligence and security breakdown," he said.  "Even then, any government worth its salt ought to be extremely worried about this new but dangerous trend of attacking media houses.  It must therefore be jolted to take actions to stem the tide." However the former governor of Lagos said it was not time to trade blame, but time to put heads together to face and defeat a common insecurity monster, adding that the opposition was ready to work with President Jonathan. "We call on all leaders of thought, and all religious and political leaders to rally and let us together find a way to resolve this problem.  Whether it is religious or political Boko Haram, we must root it out by ensuring justice and fairness," Asiwaju Tinubu appealed. He assured the president that the opposition was ready to work with him on the insecurity question, but stressed that the president must consult wide on this rather delicate issue. "We in the opposition are ready and willing to cooperate with the president to solve this problem," he offered.  "But the president must consult wide and show good faith in a reasoned and collective solution.  That is the way we can solve the problem together." Asiwaju Tinubu condoled with the management and staff of the newspapers involved and sympathised with the victims of the blast. "I wish to sympathise and condole with everyone affected by this avoidable tragedy.  May God comfort them all.