The National Caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Monday kicked against the arrest and detention of the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alh Sule Lamido, by Police in Kano State last week end, describing the action as illegal and unconstitutional.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party raised the alarm that the action was a clear indication what the opposition should be expected ahead of the 2019 general elections which if not checked now would be dangerous to the growing democracy in the country.
The party pointed out that the only option left for the failed government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is to prevent the opposition from effectively campaigning and mobilising the people for the Elections as a way of covering up their total failure in all the sectors since assumption of office since May 29, 2015.
The party however, called on the Federal Government to prevail on its security agencies to effect the immediate release of all political detainees currently in their custody such as, Former Governor Lamido, the Former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, Former Governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu, detainees in their custody,
“We are in a democracy and not a Gestapo State.”
The party while insisting the nation is under a democratic rule and not under Gestapo State called on the international community to call President Buhari and the APC to order, warned that if the trend of arresting its members does not stopped forthwith, it might lead to breach of peace and public disorder, to which the APC led Federal Government would be held responsible.
The statement reads: “The true reason for his arrest however is linked to the forthcoming Local Government Elections in Jigawa State.
“The long incarceration of former Governor Gabriel Suswan is also linked to the forthcoming LGA Elections in Benue State. The APC led Administration is fast loosing the confidence of the people because of its non-performance, high handedness and lack of empathy for the suffering of the people. The only option left for it is to prevent the opposition from effectively campaigning and mobilising the people for the Elections.
“The whole strategy of the failed APC Government is founded on the assumption that if there is no opposition, then they cannot be defeated. Hence the intimidation, harassment and incarceration of popular opposition leaders like Sule Lamido. We are aware that, we in the opposition will be in for a hard time in the run up to the 2019 General Elections with more arrests and intimidation of our prominent leaders.”
The statement continued “For the record, President Muhammadu Buhari before the 2011 General Elections made several incisive statements that led to the killings of many innocent Nigerians after the Elections. He was never arrested nor detained by any of the security agencies after several reports linked him to the killings.
“Nigerians cannot also forget some inciting statements credited to President Buhari ahead of the 2015 General Elections. Especially, General Buhari while addressing Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) members in Niger State incited his audience in Hausa language that translates thus, “…If what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.” For this statement and others as well, he was never invited, arrested or detained by any of the security agencies under the PDP Administration.
“The APC has today unleashed the Nigerian Police, the DSS and the EFCC to harass and intimidate Court Judges, opposition leaders, social media influencers/bloggers and other Nigerians that speaks against his APC led federal or state governments on fabricated charges just to cow them. Gov Lamido merely asked the people to defend their votes against rigging. How is that a crime? If you are not planning to steal the peoples’ votes, why should you be afraid if the people are advised to defend their votes? Of course, no thief would want the owner to guide his house against burglary.
“The excesses of the security agencies have now reached alarming proportions. If they must be reminded, their mandate is to defend all Nigerians and not to act as a willing instrument of oppression of the people by the autocratic APC government.
“We want to also use this opportunity to invite members of the international community to call President Buhari and the APC to order. If this ugly trend is not stopped forthwith, it may lead to breach of peace and public disorder. President Buhari and the APC leaders should be held responsible for whatever is the outcome of this continuous intimidation of opposition members in the country.”
