The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried what it called political persecution of former aides of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, who stated this Friday in Abuja after he was denied access to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki residence by men of Department of Security Services (DSS), said that the action was against the tenets of democracy.
Dasuki, who was on Tuesday relieved of his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, was placed under house arrest on Thursday night in his house at Asokoro.
Metuh, who arrived at the residence of former NSA at about 12: 55pm on Friday, described Dasuki’s restricted movement as illegal and unconstitutional.
“I came into Abuja today because I read the situation about the invasion of the house of the former NSA and his detention and house arrest. So, I drove to his house as a personal friend to see him and to find out what is happening.
“Then about seven or eight security operatives came out and they said that I cannot see him because the house is under security watch. And I asked them, security watch in terms of treason or terrorism? And they said they are not in a position to say,” the PDP spokesperson said.
He added that it is a breach of fundamental human rights of anybody to be denied his freedom of movement, arguing that Nigerians were getting scared of President Buhari’s style of governance.
“They voted for the president and he was duly elected. And now he is the father of the nation, he is the father of everyone. He is not serving any other interest. But they are certain activities by some of his aides and people around him; it is like they are taking us back to the military era where we were coming from.
“The last time this happened was under the military. There has never been any situation where people will be held against their will. It is completely against his fundamental human rights. And we should be careful here because this was how it started in Zimbabwe and other countries. Before you know it we have a dictatorship. You cannot scare us,” Metuh warned.
He wondered whether the persecution was because PDP lost the presidential election, but added that what the party lost was an election but not war.
“We are not prisoners of war and we should not be treated like prisoners of war. What we demand is that we deserve the respect; there is rule of law.
“We will not condone corrupt activities or any other unlawful or illegal act. If anybody has committed anything against the laws of Nigeria, let him be invited, let there be investigation.
“If there is a warrant of arrest or a judge can rule that he should be detained. But the fact that you shroud things in mystery and you invade someone’s house, occupy his house and detain him against his will. It is an anathema in democracy,” Metuh said.
He lamented a situation where those who served under former President Jonathan were singled out for persecution.
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