Saraki’s Ongoing Trial Is Part Of Buhari’s Plot To Intimidate The Nat’l Assembly & Introduce Official Terrorism Says PDP

The main opposition party in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has alleged that the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki by the Code of Con­duct Tribunal, (CCT) over his alleged false assets dec­laration was part of the or­chestrated plot to intimidate the National Assembly and perceived opponents of the President Muhammadu Bu­hari administration.

The Federal Government had, on September 11, filed a 13-count charge against Saraki before the Tribunal.

But the erstwhile ruling party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secre­tary, Olisa Metuh claimed the trial of Senator Saraki was part of the “relentless onslaught against democratic institu­tions” and further declared that “the nation is on a quick slide into fascism and official terrorism.”

Metuh further noted 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.”

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.

Metuh said: “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.”

It further accused the All Progressives Congress, (APC) led federal government of us­ing the Department of State Services (DSS) to carry out what it called terrorism against democracy, in PDP controlled states.

“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.”