Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday accused the Federal Government of allegedly approving $2bn to procure arms to curtail violence in the Niger Delta.
Abubakar made the allegation at the opening of his campaign headquarters in Abuja.
He said that the weapons were bought to suppress the Niger Delta people instead of embarking on the development of the region.
He said that Niger Delta was being degraded by oil exploitation and that the area deserved special attention.
He added that if the $2bn had been used to develop the region, militants in the area would give up violence.
He said, �Just a few weeks ago, this government approved over $2bn to buy weapons, not to develop the Niger Delta, but to suppress the people of the region.
�If we channel this kind of amount into the development of the Niger Delta, nobody in the region will want to carry arms.
�Our people are not asking for too much. All they ask for are universally recognised human rights, the right to life, the right to good education, the right to freedom of expression, the right to jobs, the right to decent living, especially those whose environment is being ravaged by the exploitation of natural resources such as those in the Niger Delta.�
Abubakar, whose two-page address was spiced with extemporaneous remarks, also asked Nigerians not to vote for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Umaru Yar�Adua.
He said that endorsement of Yar�Adua would amount to voting President Olusegun Obasanjo back to power.
The VP added, �We must work hard to ensure that elections do take place as scheduled. Let us also work with our people to ensure that they cast their votes and ensure that their votes count.
�We must stop in their tracks those who want to bring back the evil third term or life presidency through the back door.
�They have amended their party�s constitution so that the President will be the life leader of the party and the life leader of the government. So, if you vote the PDP again, you are voting Obasanjo. Don�t vote for him, don�t vote PDP. Nigeria belongs to all of us.�
He described the opening of his campaign headquarters, which he called Democracy House, as �a day for rejoicing and of giving thanks to God for the victories that we have won against those who choose to persecute me, my friends and associates.�
Apart from serving as a campaign headquarters, the vice-president said the complex would also be a centre of people�s struggle for democracy, rule of law, fairness and equity.
�It is the headquarters of our people�s struggle against double standards, hypocrisy, and the impunity of those who play God,� Abubakar said.
He admitted that the battle had so far been tortuous and challenging.
Abubakar said his travails would not distract him from his mission of winning the April presidential election.
He said, �The struggle for democracy is usually a difficult one, but it is one that patriots must engage in if they hope to be free. To avoid the struggle for freedom for whatever reason is to run away from freedom. No human being and no nation must run away from freedom.
�The basic rights which we fought for over the years are seriously being eroded by those who think that holding on to power is their birthright.
�Nigerians are progressively being sidelined and neglected in the scheme of things. Their welfare has been forgotten.�
Also speaking at the ceremony, attended by hundreds of Abubakar�s political associates and chieftains of the Action Congress, the AC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of plotting to collude with the PDP to rig the April elections.
The Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, urged the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to enable INEC to use the modified open-secret system for the April elections.
He said such arrangement would frustrate PDP�s bid to rig the poll.
When contacted for the reaction of the Presidency, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Malam Uba Sani, told our correspondent to call back in 10 minutes.
�You must give me time to prepare my response,� he said on the telephone.
But when further calls were put through to his line, the phone had been put off.
A text message was also sent to his phone, to which no response was received.
In a statement last night, Sani, however, denied that President Olusegun Obasanjo was planning to declare a nationwide state of emergency.
He responded to comments by the VP on Monday that the President might declare a state of emergency.
Abubakar made the allegation while receiving some editors from the United States.
Sani, however, said the vice-president had only succeeded in displaying his ignorance of the 1999 Constitution.
He said, the President could not single-handedly declare a state of emergency without the support of the National Assembly.
He warned Abubakar and his supporters against any act that could lead to the declaration of emergency rule in the country.
�If they had such plans, let them be warned however that the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on anyone who plans to disrupt public order and public safety,� he said.
Sani said that despite Abubakar�s attempt to paint a negative picture of the ongoing transition process, Obasanjo would hand over on May 29.
�He has already delivered valedictory addresses to the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. This is certainly not the action of a president intent on remaining in office beyond his tenure.�