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JUDGES’ ARREST: NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY IN DANGER –PDP


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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the arrest and detention of some judges by the Department of State Services (DSS) is a threat to Nigeria's democracy. The party also said the country "is sliding aggressively into anarchy" and called on lovers of democracy all over the world to intervene to stop the violation of the nation's constitution by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
The party, which was reacting to the letter by one of the accused Supreme Court justices, Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, said the ordeals of the judicial officers were as a result of the disdain to the judicial arm of government by President Muhammadu Buhari and his party.
Justice Ngwuta's letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, who is also Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), came barely two days after Justice John Okoro's letter, which pointed accusing fingers at former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and APC governorship candidate for Akwa Ibom, Umana Umana, of attempting to influence the course of justice in the Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia governorship petitions.
Justice Ngwuta, in his letter, alleged that Amaechi the Minister of Transportation and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, of approaching him to pervert justice in the Rivers and Ebonyi governorship election petitions.
PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, on Sunday, said it was not by coincidence that the two Supreme Court justices mentioned Amaechi in their letters. "Consequently, we wish to sadly conclude that Nigeria's democracy is, indeed, in grave danger. It therefore appears that we have returned to barracks rule through the ballot," the party noted.
The main opposition party said the allegation was an indictment on the executive. "This latest allegation is another indictment on the executive arm of government and the serial complicity and involvement of the president, members and leaders of his party, the APC, the DSS, especially, the former governor of Rivers State who has been mentioned twice in both petitions written by the honourable justices of the Supreme Court within a few hours interval," the party observed. PDP noted that President Buhari and the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had before the DSS invasion of the judges' homes, blamed the judiciary for their problems.
Recalling Buhari's statement in Germany that judiciary was his "main headache" in the fight against corruption and in his previous attempt at presidency, the opposition party said the DSS' invasion was "the fulfilment of series of threats by President Buhari, Amaechi and Odigie-Oyegun."
"We are not surprised with the mention of President Buhari in the statement by Justice Ngwuta because President Buhari has left no stone unturned to confirm the fact that he detests the judiciary and the rule of law as seen in his body language and actions since he assumed office.
"Nigerians will also recall that it is not only President Buhari that is striving strongly to derail our nascent democracy, but his party's National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who once lambasted the judiciary on the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement in Rivers and Akwa Ibom gubernatorial elections on grounds of business and investments.
"From the statements of President Buhari and Chief Odigie-Oyegun, it is obvious that the judiciary can be said to have functioned appropriately only when they and their party wins a case. Otherwise, the judiciary must be punished. How ridiculous!
"To this end, we are further calling on all stakeholders in the Nigerian State, the international community, the media, the civil society organisations (CSOs) and all well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and stop this constitutional rape before it is too late.
"Nigeria belongs to all of us, irrespective of party affiliation, tribe and religion. This APC-led government of President Buhari must be stopped forthwith from these reckless acts of impunity as it is no longer acceptable."
-NewTelegraph

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