Buhari’s government seeking to foist a fascist regime’ – PDP petitions UN

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has petitioned the United Nations over the “thoughtless abuse of human rights” being perpetrated by the federal government in the country.

In the petition dated April 30 and signed by Uche Secondus, PDP national chairman, the party also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of clamping down on the opposition.

The party said there is a “predetermined plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to truncate Nigeria’s democracy” through various ways including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and other security agencies

“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”, the petition read.

“The federal government has shown unrivalled bias by arresting and hounded opposition personalities on phantom corruption allegation while ensuring that members of the ruling party and their associates who faced more serious indictment were left off the hook.

“The PDP is alerting the entire world of the increasing aggression and cruelty against opposition members and perceived opponents of government by the federal government, which is now using the apparatus of state power in their desperation to cow and subjugate opposition, suppress constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech and association in our country.

“Today, there is thoughtless abuse of human rights in our country and the people now live in fear. Opposition members are now being arrested, manhandled and detained, with some of them having their family houses demolished for holding and expressing legitimate but divergent opinion even under a democracy.”

While calling on the UN to intervene in Nigeria’s situation, the party also raised the alarm on the “unrelenting persecution, arrest, detention and harried trial” of opposition members as well as perceived opponents of the government.

“How do we explain or justify the evil plan of the APC-led federal government to monitor citizens’ phone calls and social media communication purportedly to check for hate speeches without any enabling law?” it asked.

“Today, despite our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association and speech, Nigerians now live in fear of this intolerant, overbearing, bigoted and dictatorial administration seeking to foist a fascist regime on our country.”