PDP releases statement on the handcuffing of Metuh, says action deliberate ploy to subjugate opposition Spokesperson

PDP releases statement on the handcuffing of Metuh, says action deliberate ploy to subjugate opposition Spokesperson

Read the press statement below...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in totality the brazen  display of authoritarianism demonstrated by the President Muhammadu  Buhari-led APC Government in handcuffing its National Publicity  Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh even when the court is yet to hear his  case.

This development which unexpectedly elicited widespread public outcry  clearly betrays an extra-judicial, top political witch-hunt policy of  the APC, carefully designed to humiliate, embarrass and portray PDP  leaders as common criminals and set the stage to cow and decimate  opposition and perceived foes of the government.

The question remains, if not to mortify, dehumanize and break our  National Publicity Secretary, who has been very vocal against the APC  administration, and of course to send a signal to others critical of the  government, what else would have informed the decision to produce him  in court in handcuffs, even when his case does not border on security  threat?

Is this an attempt to sway the court and ambush the judicial process  against our National Publicity Secretary, all because of his stance  against observed ineptitude and dictatorial tendencies of this  administration?

The PDP invites all Nigerians and the international community to note  the emerging barefaced abuse of state power and violation of  constitutional provisions regarding the arrest, detention and eventual  arraignment of our spokesperson.

Nigerians by now, should be extremely scared that our country is fast  drifting into a police state where being in opposition or holding views  divergent to that of the government makes one a criminal and an enemy of  the state.

For now, the target of the on-going lopsided war against corruption is  the PDP and its leaders. All APC members, including those with known  corruption issues are immune from investigation, arrest and prosecution.

However, more worrisome is the fact that institutions of government,  especially security and corrective agencies have now fallen victims of  dictatorial abuses. Our fear now is that in no time, ordinary citizens  of Nigerians, who in the last 16 years have lived under the rule of law  and constitutionally guaranteed personal liberty, would begin to suffer  brutality and oppression.

Under PDP administration, some Nigerians, including APC leader and  former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu were tried but  never humiliated; now we see security operatives under this regime being  used to crush and humiliate the opposition.

Finally, while we study the bail conditions, we urge all PDP members to  remain calm, united, focused and continue to pray for the nation and her  people. We also urge the media to remain on the side of justice,  fairness and rule of law and resist the pressure of being used as a tool  to promote arbitrariness and abuse of process in the so-called fight  against corruption.

Signed:

Prof. Adewale Oladipo
National Secretary
Source: PDP releases statement on the handcuffing of Metuh, says action deliberate ploy to subjugate opposition Spokesperson