By Alex Emeka Duru
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday said “the furious invasion of the sanctity of the Federal High Court by the Department of State Services
(DSS)” was a further confirmation that Nigeria, under the Buhari Presidency, was “finally sliding into a frightening dictatorship.”
The party said the invasion was a vindication of its position that Nigeria was no longer governed by democratic principles of rule of law and dictates of the constitution.
The opposition party’s position was contained in a statement by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, which was made available to TheNiche.
“Today, the world watched with shock as operatives of the
Presidency-controlled DSS, in a most horrific manner, swooped on the
court, held the judiciary to ransom, disrupted proceedings, scared away
the judge, chased away lawyers and journalists, attacked and re-arrested
persons standing trial within the precincts of the court, in a manner
that can only be obtainable in Idi Amin’s Uganda.
“The invasion is in a forceful suspension of our constitutional order and
a further battering of the judiciary, which points to an emerging
lawlessness that can only find space in a military regime.
“Without prejudice to the charge against the Convener of the “Revolution
Now” movement, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, the PDP holds that, in a normal
democracy, it is the duty of the court to determine the fate of an
accused, according to the laws and not a resort to brute force by the
government to silence persons with dissenting voices.
“Our party notes that such a violation, as embarrassingly witnessed in
the Abuja court this weekend, is a direct invitation to anarchy and a
huge threat to the unity, peace, stability and corporate existence of
our nation and the safety of our citizens.
“Indeed, this is not the Nigeria our citizens yearn for and it is
imperative to restate that Nigeria, under the Buhari Presidency, is fast
sliding into a dark country where, laws are suspended, the judiciary is
assaulted and citizens are stripped of their fundamental rights.”
The party called on well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to call the Buhari Presidency to order before its actions derail Nigeria and trigger a breakdown of law and order.
“The international community must have more than a passing glance at the
situation in Nigeria as any crisis in our country, God forbid, given our
population, is capable of having a negative spill over effect across the
African continent and other parts of the world.”
The PDP urged all Nigerians, irrespective of political, religious and ethnic leanings, to unite in condemnation of what it called the dictatorial
tendencies of the Buhari administration and in defending the country’s democracy and unity.