The Peoples’ Democratic Party National Youth Frontier (NYF) has issued a statement warning the presidency and the international community on the dangerous implications of attempting to gag the opposition and other Nigerians who do not share sympathy in the “change” mantra.
Speaking in Abuja over the weekend after a caucus meeting, National Coordinator of the group, Usman Okai Austin described the situation as “a step towards the draconian era of military rule”. According to him, “President Buhari must realize that he is a beneficiary of democracy hence the least expected of him is to protect the rights of fellow citizens as that in itself is a constitutional responsibility he bears and must discharge to the fullest.”
Reacting to the security situation in some states across Nigeria, Okai wondered why the situations in Ekiti, Akwa Ibom and Rivers state is still lingering. He said “Nigerians have seen and are still seeing the extent this government can go to silence the opposition. What is happening in Ekiti State is alien in every ideal democratic setting. As I speak, some members of the legislature in Ekiti State have taken to hiding for fear of being assassinated by the DSS. Nigerians saw the kind of brutal force the APC utilized during the Bayelsa and Rivers States elections wherein Nigerians were brutally killed under unclear circumstances. As at now, no one has being brought to book.”
Okai who insisted that reports have it that some PDP members have being placed on watch list said “We are aware partymen like Ayo Fayose, Deji Adeyanju and some other loyalists are on the watchlist of the DSS. Nothing must happen to them because we are aware of how intolerant this government is and the extent it can go to cover up its failures and excesses.”
He wondered why the administration of President Buhari and the APC have suddenly annexed the DSS as an arm of their party. He said “The DSS is loosing its honor and integrity. The elite security outfit is now the militia wing of the APC. The only persons capable of causing breakdown of order are members of the PDP therefore no other group deserves to be monitored including Fulani herdsmen and the Boko Haram terrorist group.”
Okai warned on the implication of the high handedness of the current administration. He advised President Buhari to pay more attention to the issues that affect ordinary Nigerians like fuel scarcity, unemployment, inflation, insecurity and access to power.
He said, “There are several important issues the President should face like the biting fuel scarcity, unemployment and erratic power supply. We cannot continue to put up with a President who spends more time on the air than he does abroad contrary to his campaign promise. Nigerians are suffering due to his nonchalance. He should therefore spend more time addressing their problems than chasing the PDP that is only living up to its status as the biggest opposition party in Africa.”
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