This development which expectedly drew widespread public outcry clearly betrays an extra-judicial, top political witch-hunt policy of the APC, carefully designed to humiliate, embarrass and portray PDP leaders as common criminals and set the stage to cow and decimate opposition and perceived foes of the government.
A statement issued by Prof. Adewale Oladipo, national secretary of the opposition party said: “The question remains, if not to mortify, dehumanise and break our National Publicity Secretary, who has been very vocal against the APC
administration, and of course to send a signal to others critical of the government, what else would have informed the decision to produce him in
court in handcuffs, even when his case does not border on security threat?
“Is this an attempt to sway the court and ambush the judicial process against our national publicity secretary, all because of his stance against observed ineptitude and dictatorial tendencies of this administration?
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“The PDP invites all Nigerians and the international community to note the emerging barefaced abuse of state power and violation of constitutional provisions regarding the arrest, detention and eventual arraignment of our spokesperson.
“Nigerians by now, should be extremely scared that our country is fast drifting into a police state where being in opposition or holding views divergent to that of the government makes one a criminal and an enemy of the state.
“For now, the target of the on-going lopsided war against corruption is the PDP and its leaders. All APC members, including those with known
corruption issues are immune from investigation, arrest and prosecution.
“Finally, while we study the bail conditions, we urge all PDP members to remain calm, united, focused and continue to pray for the nation and her people. We also urge the media to remain on the side of justice, fairness and rule of law and resist the pressure of being used as a tool
to promote arbitrariness and abuse of process in the so-called fight against corruption.”