The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has petitioned the Nigerian Senate over the state governor, Godwin Obaseki’s and the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) intolerance and disdain for opposition views.
In a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Chris Osa Nehikhare, the PDP lamented the unfair deployment of the agencies of the state, particularly the police in the harassment, molestation, intimidation, brutalization, humiliation, arrest and persecution of leaders of its party in the state.
Making reference to incident that that happened to Senator Mathew Urhoghide, a senator representing Edo South Senatorial district, the PDP lamented how the governor stood and watch the APC thugs attacked the Senator.
“We wish to state that our recourse to seeking The Senate’s attention and intervention is predicated on the fact that the general elections are around the corner and the orgy of intimidation, molestation, arrest and persecution of opposition members in furtherance of the grand design to undermine the process of a free and fair electoral contest as expected in a civilized democracy has begun.
On Friday, April 27, 2018, Distinguished Senator Matthew Urhoghide, senator representing Edo South Senatorial district, elected under the platform of PDP, was in the presence of Gov Godwin Obaseki attacked by APC youths as he disembarked from the plane that brought him from Abuja. After observing the attack, with a smirk on his face, the governor, Godwin Obaseki, climbed into his Jeep and gave a fist pump in approval and solidarity with his thugs for a mission accomplished. A former state woman leader and our youth leader were beaten up mercilessly by these rampaging APC youths and to add insult to injury, our defenseless youth leader was arrested by the police who witnessed the whole sordid episode.
“We see the disingenuous attack on Senator Matthew Urhoghide as a calculated attempt to throw the PDP into disarray and to manipulate the minds of our teeming supporters who are in the majority among the Edo electorate.”
The opposition warned that the silence of the National Assembly, especially the Senate, may afford the APC led government the opportunity to step up the plot of harassment, arrest and brutalization of influential and uncompromising members of its party across the state by state sponsored thugs and policemen acting on the directive of the chief security officer of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.
The party added “There has been a failure in governance as Governor Godwin Obaseki has refused to take steps to stem the marauding herdsmen menace in the state. The maiming and killings of our people, especially farmers in the farms have risen astronomically mainly because of the policy adopted by Mr Governor.
These killings are reaching an alarming level and we don’t want Edo state to become another Benue state. It is assuming a political and religious coloration which is a dangerous mix. Instead of Gov Godwin Obaseki to tackle this and provide adequate security for defenseless farmers and other citizens of the state, he is busy intimidating, harassing and brutalizing leading opposition figures in the state in a primitive political and unacceptable way.
“It is not a secret that the leaders of the ruling APC have lost the goodwill of Edo people. They are desperate as it is obvious they are losing Edo State. The leader of the APC in the State, Governor Obaseki, and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is contesting to be National Chairman of APC, have boasted that it is over their dead body that PDP wins the coming national and state assembly elections. Under the circumstances, it is already clear that the Government whose responsibility is to provide security and an environment for a free and fair election is ready to indulge in unwholesome practices, some of which have been activated.”
In the federal level, the PDP petitioned the United Nation accusing the federal government of human rights violation.
The petiton which was signed by the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus was dating April 30 and was addressed to Secretary-General of the UN Mr.
Anthonio Guterres.
The petition was titled, ‘Threats to democracy, rule of law, basic freedoms and gross human rights violations by the Federal Government.’
He stated, “Regrettably, the President Buhari-led APC government is doing all it can to frustrate legitimate opposition and to intimidate and persecute our leaders and ultimately, destroy the fragile fabrics of our burgeoning democracy.
“Our nation has become heavily polarised along dangerous fault lines where citizens now live in fear and mutual suspicion; where citizens are slaughtered by the day by marauders; where hunger and strange diseases ravage the people due to the insensitive and incoherent policies of this government.
“I am constrained to bring to the attention of the United Nations what appears to be a predetermined and orchestrated plan by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria, through various agencies, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police and other security organisations, to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
“The President and his administration are too desperate to retain power against the wishes of the Nigerian people who are groaning under the yoke of the misrule of the government in the last three years.
“It is imperative to bring to the attention of the world, the various constitutional violations and the unrelenting persecution, arrest, detention and harried trial of opposition members as well as perceived opponents of government, including innocent business concerns, apparently in pursuit of the grand plot to discredit and stifle the opposition in Nigeria.”
