T he 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,
September 19, 2015 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. http://www.thebiafraherald.co/2015/09/the-zoo-nigerias-democracy-on-quick.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&m=1
(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,
September 19, 2015 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. http://www.thebiafraherald.co/2015/09/the-zoo-nigerias-democracy-on-quick.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&m=1
