PDP: Nigeria drifting into dictatorship, anarchy

The National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Thursday, alerted Nigerians that the nation is fast drifting into a dictatorship and possible anarchy under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.

However, the APC has debunked the claims of the PDP, saying that the allegations were baseless and unfounded.
The NCC of the PDP said this in a statement on Thursday by it spokesman, Prince Dayo Adyeye, lamenting that prominent leaders and citizens of the country, especially governors, ministers and other public office holders during the previous PDP administration, have been arrested in a Gestapo manner and detained indefinitely without trial.

The party cited the example of the former Governor of Benue State, Hon. Gabriel Suswam, who was arrested by men of the Department State Service (DSS) and has been in detention for over two months now without trial.

It stressed further that the former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, was arrested on April 5, 2017 by officers of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and like the others, he has been in detention and yet no case has been filed against him in any court by the anti-graft Agency.

The PDP equally noted that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has been in custody for about two (2) years now without trial.

It observed that similar brutality, arrest and mindless detention went on with other PDP leaders and members that were arrested by either the DSS or the EFCC.

The NCC of the PDP noted with regrets that while former leaders and members of PDP are being arrested indiscriminately and detained without trial; other former office holders of the ruling APC who have been accused of various corrupt practices are yet to be arrested but instead are compensated with juicy ministerial appointments, describing this as double standard.

The party said that there was no gainsaying that under the present APC-led Federal Government, the agencies arrest suspects, convict them in the media and detain them against the Law before they are proven innocent or otherwise by the Court.

It is also said it is very clear in the nation’s Constitution that no security agency has the right or power to detain suspects more than 48 hours without trial.

The party pointed out that the nation is in a constitutional democracy and as such the present APC Administration must lead by example and obey Court Orders.

It stressed that it is on record that most of these suspects have been granted bail by the Courts of the land and the ECOWAS Court in the case of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), adding that this is sheer lawlessness.

It assured the public that the PDP is not against the anti-corruption fight of the present APC-led administration.

The NCC of PDP maintained however that “Our stand is that the present APC Government must follow due process in dealing with issues of corruption as the PDP did during its governments without violating human rights of citizens especially, those suspects that may later be found innocent by the Law Court”.

The action of the APC Administration, the NCC of the PDP declared, is a clear case of injustice and vendetta.
It thus called on the ruling Government to charge all those in detention to court as a matter of urgency and those granted bail by the courts must be freed immediately.

The PDP maintained that as a law abiding party, it shall deploy all constitutional means both domestically and internationally to seek redress on this ‘Gestapo Rule’.

But the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has debunked the claims of the PDP, saying that the allegations were baseless and unfounded.

A chieftain of the APC who sought anonymity because he was not authorised to speak for the party, disclosed this to The Daily Times on Thursday during a telephone interview.

Accordingly to him, the PDP is seeking for relevance and cheap popularity to divert attention from its internal wrangling that is tearing the party apart.

The APC chieftain said: “The allegation by the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP is laughable. How can we allow the country to drift dictatorship and tyranny when we are the ruling party?

“We believe in rule of law and constitutionalism as our mantra is change and we will not depart from the lofty objective. Unlike PDP that ruled with impunity for 16 years, APC is a party that cherish due process and rule of law.

“The PDP should settle its internal problem and stop raising unfounded allegations. We know the party is factionalised.

We therefore urge Makarfi-led PDP to strive and reconcile with Ali Modu Sheriff- led faction before we can take him serious.

His own faction is not the authentic PDP as the Court of Appeal has ruled that Ali Modu Sheriff is the recognised national chairman of the PDP”.

The full statement reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, CON is once again constrained to alert Nigerians that the Nation is fast drifting into a dictatorship and possible anarchy under the All Progressive Congress (APC) Government.

“Prominent leaders and citizens of this great Country especially, the governors, ministers and other public office holders during the previous PDP administration have been arrested in a Gestapo manner and detained indefinitely without trial. Absurd!

“For instance, the Former Governor of Benue State, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Suswam was arrested by men of the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) and has been in detention for over two months now without trial.

“Also, the Former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu was arrested on April 5, 2017 by officers of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and like the others, he has been in detention and yet no case has been filed against him in any court by the Anti-graft Agency.

“Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki has been in custody for about two (2) years now without trial. Similar brutality, arrest and mindless detention went on with other PDP leaders and members that were arrested by either the DSS or the EFCC.

“It is no gainsaying that under the present APC led Government; the agencies arrest suspects, convict them in the media and detain them against the Law before they are proven innocent or otherwise by the Court.

It is also very clear in the Constitution of Nigeria that no security agency has the right or power to detain suspects more than 48 hours without trial.

“Ironically, while former leaders and members of PDP are being arrested indiscriminately and detained without trial; other former office holders of the Ruling APC who have been accused of various corrupt practices are yet to be arrested but instead are compensated with juicy ministerial appointments. Double standard!

“We are in a constitutional democracy and as such, the present APC Administration must lead by example and obey Court Orders. It is on record that most of these suspects have been granted bail by the Courts of the Land and the ECOWAS Court in the Case of Col. Sambo Dasuki .This is sheer lawlessness!

“We wish to further assure the public that the PDP is not against the anti-corruption fight. Our stand is that the present APC Government must follow due process in dealing with issues of corruption as the PDP did during its governments without violating human rights of citizens especially, those suspects that may later be found innocent by the Law Court.

“In this context, the actions of this APC Administration is a clear case of injustice and vendetta. We hereby call on the Ruling Government to charge all those in detention to Court as a matter of urgency and those granted bail by the Courts must be freed immediately.

“As a law abiding Party, we shall deploy all constitutional means both domestically and internationally to seek redress on this Gestapo Rule.

“Finally, the Ruling APC must understand by now that Nigerians are fed up with this undemocratic rule. Again we advise this Government to stop forthwith, all actions that tend to heat up the system and push citizens into taking extreme measures in self defence.

“The economic hardship brought upon Nigerians by APC misrule is bad enough, abridging the people’s rights on top of that is like adding salt to injury,” it said.