‘Nigeria’s Democracy On Quick Slide’- PDP Insists
….Says Nation Facing Defining Moments
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says with the unfolding of events;
the deliberate infractions and crass abuse of power by the President
Muhammadu Buhari-led APC Federal Government, it is no longer in doubt
that the nation is on a quick slide into fascism and official terrorism.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa
Metuh, on Saturday alerted that the President Buhari-led regime has
exhibited trappings of despotism, including “ruling without a
constitutional component of a cabinet, persistent abuse of power,
undermining of democratic institutions, invasion of state government and
personal houses, injecting confusion into the judiciary and hounding of
individuals perceived to be against its interests”.
The party expressed worry over the “relentless onslaught against
democratic institutions, especially the growing tension trailing the
quest to annex the National Assembly; for which the Presidency had since
vowed not to recognize the current Senate leadership, in total disdain
to the independence of the legislature and the principle of separation
of powers”.
It further described as a mockery of reasoning, for President Buhari to
condemn the recent coup in Burkina Faso whilst his government continues
to violate the provisions of the constitution of his own country.
“Ordinarily, the intra-party squabbles within the APC, regarding
leadership positions in the Senate is not necessarily our concern. Also,
we are not interested in whether Senate President Bukola Saraki ran for
the APC Presidential ticket against President Muhammadu Buhari; or
whether he ran for the Senate Presidency against the advice of the
President and his party. Our concerns here are the prevailing executive
intolerance, the undermining of the institution of the National Assembly
and the overall threat to the survival of our democracy.
“Whereas the PDP totally supports the fight against corruption, while
reposing confidence in the judiciary to protect and preserve its
sanctity, we note with grave concern, the politically induced
controversies within the judiciary, as a result of the part being played
by agents of the executive, especially the question of due process with
respect to the roles statutorily vested on the person of an
Attorney-General, who is yet to be appointed, regarding proceedings in
the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“We note this dangerous trend because the Presidency and the APC have
not hidden their aversion to the election of Senators Bukola Saraki and
Ike Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President
respectively, even as the fact of various moves to oust them from
office, including the recent unsubstantiated allegations of forgery and
harassments by the federal controlled security agencies are in the
public domain.
“We call on Nigerians to be aware that the fixation on the leadership of
the National Assembly is part of a major step towards the appropriation
of the federal legislature, so as to undermine its statutory role of
checks and balances and set the stage for dictatorship in the land.
“Part of this script is to commence a major onslaught against federal
lawmakers perceived to hold divergent views to those of the Presidency,
irrespective of party affiliations, a situation that would ensure a
subdued legislature.
“Also, similar machineries have been activated for possible forceful
takeover of PDP states, a plot which played out in the recent act of
terrorism against democracy, in the invasion of Akwa-Ibom state
government house by the Department of State Services (DSS), under the
direct instructions from the Presidency.
“We also recall July reprehensible invasion and sealing of Rivers local
councils by the Police, who also barred members of caretaker committees
that were duly appointed by the state government to take charge of the
councils.
“The erosion of personal freedom of citizen also came to public glare in
the invasion of the home of the former National Security Adviser (NSA),
Col. Sambo Dasuki, against constitutionally guaranteed fundamental
rights and the rule of law.
“Furthermore, Nigerians are witness to the undue interferences of the
Department of State Services in the activities of election tribunals in
PDP controlled states of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Abia, Taraba and
others where electoral officers are being harassed, intimidated and
detained, ostensibly to influence judgments against the PDP.
“We recall the show of intolerance in the venom and disparagement with
which the APC-led administration in August, attacked our highly revered
national leaders in the National Peace Committee, which has as members,
former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto,
His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, respected clerics; Archbishop John
Onaiyekan and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kuka, retired justices of superior
records, as well as other highly respected patriotic Nigerians, for
daring to counsel Buhari’s government on some observed undemocratic
tendencies and processes.
“It is therefore a mockery of reasoning for President Buhari to use
choice words to condemn the coup in Burkina Faso whilst his government
engages in brazen contravention of our own constitution, a development
that is clearly derailing Nigeria from the path of order, democracy and
constitutionalism.
“It is hence only appropriate that the President is called upon to focus
on restoring proper democracy in Nigeria and end this drift towards
dictatorship under the “new Sheriff’, an ominous undemocratic
nomenclature introduced into our political space by the Presidency.
“We invite the international community and the civil society to note
that our nation is facing a defining moment for the survival of
democracy. Nigeria has come to a point where citizens, irrespective of
political affiliations, can no longer freely express their views. We
have fast descended from an environment of personal freedom and rule of
law to an environment of muffled voices and suppression.
“Whereas we remain dedicated to our commitment in providing a robust and
credible opposition, constructively offering alternatives to policies
and programmes of the Federal Government, we restate in the strongest
possible terms, that we shall not be cowed to abdicate our irrevocable
resolution to defend our democracy, while resisting actions inimical to
the stability and unity of our dear nation.
Signed:
Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary
PDP has fully launched counter-offensive against FG's
anti-corruption battle - APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the PDP of openly launching a counter-offensive against the determined efforts of the Buhari Administration to rid the country of impunity and corruption, but warned that the opposition party will fail in its attempt to take Nigerians back to Egypt
''Saturday's Press Statement by the PDP is nothing but a thinly-veiled frontal assault on the relentless efforts of the Buhari Administration's to clean the Augean Stable of the last PDP Federal Government,'' the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed
''With its statement that is nothing but an unabashed support for impunity and corruption, as well as its major actors, the PDP has now confirmed itself as the official 'poster boy' for corruption in Nigeria,'' it said.
APC said the long-winding sophistry about the rule of law, democracy and personal freedoms is aimed at couching the PDP's abhorrence and disdain for the fight against corruption in democratic cliches, especially now that the battle is gradually hitting the PDP where it hurts.
The party said that for the PDP's National Publicity Secretary himself, the persistent onslaught against the Buhari Administration is neither altruistic nor informed by any belief in higher values, ''because the allegations of corruption hanging on his own neck, from within his own party, is a clear indication that he is mortally afraid that the wind will soon blow hard enough to expose the fowl's rump''.
''Neither the PDP as a party nor its spokesman have the moral authority to condemn anyone, least of all a President that is working hard to rescue Nigeria from the abyss to which it has been plunged by the former ruling party.
''For the PDP to brush aside the latest revelation that a government it sired could not account for $700 million from the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), or the fact that the party could not account for billions of Naira in its own campaign funds, and then launch a frontal attack against a reformist government, is the height of shamelessness.
''For the ethically-challenged spokesman of the same morally-deficient party to continue to spew trash under the guise of opposition politics is totally provocative and absolutely unacceptable. Worse still, the lack of focus in the labyrinthine statements being issued by the opposition party has confirmed the prescience of the APC's offer to the PDP's spokesman to take a crash course in how to speak for the opposition,'' it said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, Sept. 19th 2015
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the PDP of openly launching a counter-offensive against the determined efforts of the Buhari Administration to rid the country of impunity and corruption, but warned that the opposition party will fail in its attempt to take Nigerians back to Egypt
''Saturday's Press Statement by the PDP is nothing but a thinly-veiled frontal assault on the relentless efforts of the Buhari Administration's to clean the Augean Stable of the last PDP Federal Government,'' the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed
''With its statement that is nothing but an unabashed support for impunity and corruption, as well as its major actors, the PDP has now confirmed itself as the official 'poster boy' for corruption in Nigeria,'' it said.
APC said the long-winding sophistry about the rule of law, democracy and personal freedoms is aimed at couching the PDP's abhorrence and disdain for the fight against corruption in democratic cliches, especially now that the battle is gradually hitting the PDP where it hurts.
The party said that for the PDP's National Publicity Secretary himself, the persistent onslaught against the Buhari Administration is neither altruistic nor informed by any belief in higher values, ''because the allegations of corruption hanging on his own neck, from within his own party, is a clear indication that he is mortally afraid that the wind will soon blow hard enough to expose the fowl's rump''.
''Neither the PDP as a party nor its spokesman have the moral authority to condemn anyone, least of all a President that is working hard to rescue Nigeria from the abyss to which it has been plunged by the former ruling party.
''For the PDP to brush aside the latest revelation that a government it sired could not account for $700 million from the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), or the fact that the party could not account for billions of Naira in its own campaign funds, and then launch a frontal attack against a reformist government, is the height of shamelessness.
''For the ethically-challenged spokesman of the same morally-deficient party to continue to spew trash under the guise of opposition politics is totally provocative and absolutely unacceptable. Worse still, the lack of focus in the labyrinthine statements being issued by the opposition party has confirmed the prescience of the APC's offer to the PDP's spokesman to take a crash course in how to speak for the opposition,'' it said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, Sept. 19th 2015
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