The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has written to the United Nations on alleged human rights violations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) – led federal government.
Titled: “Threats to democracy, rule of law, basic freedoms and gross human rights violations by the Federal Government of Nigeria”, the letter signed by the party’s national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, was addressed to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
It reads in part: “Since assumption of office in 2015, the President and the Federal Government agencies have provided a blanket shield for its corrupt officials and for any member of the opposition who decamps to the ruling APC.
“This protective ‘immunity’ is held firmly also for former state governors who misappropriated billions of state government funds to sponsor the 2015 presidential election, most of whom were rewarded with ‘juicy’ ministerial portfolios by President Buhari.
“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”.
The PDP also complained notable opposition leaders were being harassed or hounded by security operatives using all manners of frivolous and vexatious allegations.
“Currently, our members and supporters in many states including Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kogi, Borno, Adamawa, Delta and others are being hounded for expressing a divergent political opinion, particularly on the exposed corruption, abuses, constitutional violations and incompetence of the President Buhari administration.
“In Kogi, Borno and Kaduna States, there are reports of the government sponsoring agents to attack and destroy properties belonging to opposition members and supporters.
“We decry this raging intimidation of our party officials, members and supporters and call on the United Nations and the international community to stand up and condemn this drift towards stone-age despotism.”
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