National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has written to the United Nations (UN), accusing President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of threatening the nation’s democracy. In the letter, dated April 30 and addressed to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the PDP National Chairman said the APC-led Federal Government was frustrating legitimate opposition, intimidating and persecuting their leaders and destroying the fragile fabrics of the nation’s burgeoning democracy.
“Our nation has become heavily polarized along dangerous fault lines where citizens now live in fear and mutual suspicion; where citizens are slaughtered by the day by marauders; where hunger and strange diseases ravage the people due to the insensitive and incoherent policies of this government,” Secondus noted
He alleged a predetermined and orchestrated plan by President Buhari through various agencies of government as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, to truncate Nigeria’s democracy. According to him, Buhari is desperate to retain power against the wishes of the Nigerian people who are groaning under the yoke of the misrule of the government in the last three years.
“It is imperative to bring to the attention of the world, the various constitutional violations and the unrelenting persecution, arrest, detention and harried trial of opposition members as well as perceived opponents of government, including innocent business concerns, apparently in pursuit of the grand plot to discredit and stifle the opposition in Nigeria. “There is also, the increasing unwarranted attacks by government controlled security forces on journalists, media houses and other well meaning Nigerians carrying out their legitimate duties simply because they hold different opinions from those of the APC-led government,” he asserted. The PDP National Chairman, alleged that opposition leaders have been labeled corrupt by the President while corrupt officials of the ruling party were provided a blanket shield and rewarded with juicy ministerial portfolios
“Recently the Federal Government confirmed the persecution of opposition leaders in the guise of fighting corruption when it released a phantom list of alleged looters comprising only of persons who are members of the opposition PDP. “Even persons who were facing criminal prosecution prior to the 2015 presidential elections who are now members of the ruling APC and other members of APC who are overtly known to be involved in known cases of corruption were excluded from the list whilst persons who have never been charged with any crime and who in fact have not held any previous government portfolio including myself were listed as ‘looters’. “All notable opposition leaders are being harassed or hounded by security operatives using all manners of frivolous and vexatious allegations.
“Today, despite our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association and speech, Nigerians now live in fear of this intolerant, overbearing, bigoted and dictatorial administration seeking to foist a fascist regime on our country. “How do we explain or justify the evil plan of the APCled Federal Government to monitor citizens’ phone calls and social media communication purportedly to check for hate speeches without any enabling law?” he wondered.
He added that the Federal Government is using the apparatus of state power to cow and subjugated opposition, suppress constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and association. Secondus also accused the Federal Government of mass killings and instigating violence against the people, adding that “a retired General, former Minister of Defence and elder statesman, General Theophilus Y. Danjuma has openly accused the armed forces of Nigeria of colluding with the killer herdsmen and providing them cover to kill helpless and unarmed citizens.
He stated that despite persistent killings and wanton destruction of several communities, not even one person has been arrested or prosecuted by the Federal Government for these crimes against humanity.
.new telegraph
