TheCable

Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has alleged that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is out to silence him.

Metuh, who made the allegation at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, said he had been hounded and harassed, and that he had a reason to believe that government was desperate to shut him up.

“Gentlemen of the press, this press briefing is expedient, taken into consideration the times we find ourselves, especially as they relate to me,” he said.

“In the last seven months, as opposition spokesperson, I have been hounded, harassed, intimidated and threatened severally. In order to avoid personal and family pressure, I had refrained from bringing them to the public domain.

“However, on account of recent information available to me, I now have cause to believe that the federal government is desperate and may have finalised plans to silence me.

“Nevertheless, I make bold to state the following: As someone who has been a private person, having not taken any public office, the choice of where, how and when to invest and conduct my personal business remains my prerogative.

“In this regard, I note that I never had any contract dealings with the immediate past federal government or any of its security apparatus; In the course of my duties as the national publicity secretary of our party, the then leader of our party and president of the federal republic of Nigeria invited me and directed that I carry out some assignment relating to my office and which he duly funded.

“It is important to note that the former president was fully satisfied with the way and manner I handled the assignment.

“Finally, I reiterate that the present government should not use the apparatus of state power to settle personal scores.”