Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded unconditional and immediate release of its members in detention centres across the country.
In a statement issued by the committee’s Spokesman, ayo Adeyeye in Abuja on Monday, Makarfi said that PDP attention had been drawn to the untoward, unconstitutional and indiscriminate arrest and detention of PDP members and supporters nationwide.
He said that the PDP members were arrested and detained on phantom charges.
Makarfi said that Mr Salisu Mamuda, the Chairman of PDP Jigawa chapter was on Feb. 4, arrested for criticising the state government against spending N400 million to entertain defectors from PDP to APC.
He also recalled that Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, a 2015 PDP Governorship Aspirant in Lagos also was arrested by men of the Department of State Service on Feb. 17.
He said that Gbadamosi was arrested for allegedly exposing the Forex racketeering at the Central Bank of Nigeria, adding that on March 3, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, a PDP Chieftain in Kogi was arrested on trump-up charges and detained illegally for “criticising the wrong policies, bad governance and non-performance’’ of Gov. Yahaya Bello.
“Just yesterday, April 9, 2017, Mr Austin Okai, a PDP Youth leader and frontline critic of the Yahaya Bello’s APC-led government in Kogi State, was arrested by men of the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squared (SARS) on phantom petitions by some cronies of the governor.’’
Makarfi added that there were also reports of indiscriminate arrest and detention of Nigerians in Kaduna, Edo, and Nasarawa, among.
He described the indiscriminate arrest of PDP members as “absurd, disheartening and a serious threat’’ to Nigeria’s hard earned democracy.
“Nigerians cannot and should not be arrested and detained indiscriminately for criticising and holding government accountable.
“Constructive criticism is the primary responsibility of opposition in a democracy all over the world and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
“We will mobilise Nigerians at all levels to fight against the use of arms in a democratic system to ridicule and intimidate citizens of this country.’’
Makarfi called on all civil rights organisation across the country and in the Diaspora to rise to the defence of Nigerians.
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