By Teddy Nwanunobi
Abuja (Sundiata Post) — The Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for what it termed “untoward, unconstitutional and indiscriminate arrest and detention of PDP members and supporters nationwide on phantom charges by the APC government”.
Consequently, opposition party has demand the “unconditional and immediate release” of all PDP members in several detention centers of security agencies across the country.
The Party’s reaction was contained in an emailed statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary of the Party’s National Caretaker Committee (NCC), Dayo Adeyeye.
Entitled, ‘APC! Stop Ruling By Arms In A Democracy’, PDP warned that the actions of the ruling Party is not only absurd, disheartening, but a serious threat to Nigeria’s hard earned democracy.
“The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has been drawn to the untoward, unconstitutional and indiscriminate arrest and detention of PDP members and supporters nationwide on phantom charges by the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“For emphasis, on the 4th of February, 2017, the Chapter Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State, Mr. Salisu Mamuda was arrested for criticising the Jigawa State Government against spending the Sum of N400,000,000 (Four Hundred Million Naira Only) to entertain defectors from PDP to APC.
“Nigerians will also recall that Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State during the 2015 guber election was arrested by men of the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) on February 17, 2017 on account of exposing the Forex racketeering by the APC-led government at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“Also on March 3, 2017, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, a PDP chieftain in Kogi State was arrested on trump-up charges and detained illegally for criticising the wrong policies, misgovernance and non performance of Governor Yahaya Bello.
“Just yesterday, April 9, 2017, Mr. Austin Usman Okai, a PDP Youth leader and frontline critic of the Yahaya Bello’s APC-led government in Kogi State was arrested by men of the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squared (SARS) on phantom petitions by some cronies of the Governor.
“There are also reports of indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens of this country in Kaduna, Edo, Nasarawa amongst others at both the federal and state levels controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“These actions of the ruling party, the APC, is absurd, disheartening and a serious threat to our hard earned democracy. Nigerians cannot and should not be arrested and detained indiscriminately for criticising and holding government accountable. Constructive criticism is the primary responsibility of opposition in a democracy all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
“We have also been alerted to the news of the Federal Government of Nigeria planning to tap mobile telephone lines and hacking of other devises of citizens as a way of harassing and intimidating them into silence.
“These and other unholy practices of this administration will henceforth be resisted by all Nigerians. We will mobilise Nigerians at all levels to fight against the use of arms in a democratic system to ridicule and intimidate citizens of this country. We will no longer tolerate this high handedness of the APC, and we, therefore, demand the unconditional and immediate release of Mr. Austin Usman Okai and all our members in several detention centers of security agencies across the country.
“Finally, we wish to use this medium to inform world leaders on the serious issues of human rights violation in Nigeria since the APC administration took over power in May 29, 2015. We call on all civil rights organisation across the country and in the Diaspora to rise to this occasion. Our democracy is in serious danger and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order as a result of these undemocratic behaviours,” the statement read.
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