XENOPHOBIA: ‘It’s too early to forget your history,’ APC tackles South Africa

 

BY OUR EDITOR

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following weekend’s attack on Nigerians and Nigerian-owned businesses, has condemned the resurgence of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, telling citizens of the rainbow nation that it was too early to forget their history.

Accusing South African leaders of a conspiracy of silence, the APC said it was heart-breaking to see younger generations of South Africans taking on their benefactors while their elders who were witnesses to Nigeria’s efforts at stamping out apartheid in their country would maintain a criminal silence.

VANGUARD reports that APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu however assured Nigerians that the Federal Government has taken measures to address the ugly trend.

The statement reads: “The All Progressives Congress APC strongly condemns the recent South African xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, particularly on Nigerians, their property and businesses.

“As a party, we are deeply saddened by these unwarranted attacks. Nigeria deserves better from South Africa. It is too early for South Africans to forget their country’s history. Many of the key players in the struggle against apartheid are still alive and active in the country’s national affairs. We therefore cannot understand why there seems to be a conspiracy of silence on their part.

“The barbaric attack on citizens of other countries points to a failure of leadership. South African leaders cannot exonerate themselves from this cowardly act. We call on the South African ruling party, the African National Congress ANC to urgently step in. This is completely at variance with what ANC stood for. The ANC government can no longer pretend about this obvious contradiction.

“The violence being meted to Nigerians under ANC calls to question the very essence of the struggle against apartheid in which Nigeria was a frontline ally of South Africa. How can those who supported you and made huge sacrifices for your freedom become fair games to be murdered in cold blood?

“Perhaps there is a disconnect between the younger and older generations of South Africa. The older generation cannot sit back while the uninformed youths and some South African public officials in their quest for inordinate populism destroy what we collectively achieved over several decades of sacrifice and brotherliness.

“Today, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians. This is one of the first steps in this government’s proactive response to this unfortunate incident. We assure Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to take decisive measures. The safety of Nigerians – home and abroad – is non-negotiable to the APC administration”.