TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will no longer stomach the continued unlawful use of state apparatus of power by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government to harass the opposition party’s elected officials at any level across the country.

It said that never in the history of Nigeria’s democracy has there been “such a divisive government, whose actions and constitutional violations have so polarized the polity along its fault lines”.

According to the party, the APC-led government crossed the line on Friday by unleashing the Department of State Services (DSS), now under the direct command of its member, Lawan Daura, to invade and occupy the Akwa-Ibom state government house, Uyo, in violation of the constitutional immunity of the government house.

A statement issued on Sunday, Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the party, described the invasion “other flagrant abuse of power by the APC-led federal government” as clear recipes for constitutional crisis, civil unrest and avoidable anarchy in the land; and called on Nigerians and the international community to take copious note of this.

The party said its investigations had shown that the DSS acted on the express orders from the APC presidency, in a “desperate bid to destabilise and forcefully take over Akwa-Ibom and other PDP states”.

“We have information that the DSS, acting on the instructions of the presidency, occupied Akwa-Ibom State government house, ransacking guest houses for no just cause,” it alleged.

“If such terror can be unleashed on a state government, one can only imagine the fate of regular citizens in the hands of this administration that has continued to show unparalleled disdain for constitutional order, with heinous penchant for oppression.

“We have also been made aware of plans by the APC government to stage similar invasions and unlawful assaults on other PDP states, including Rivers, Delta, Abia and Taraba, where electoral officers are already being hounded and harassed by the DSS, who are also directly interfering in the activities of the election tribunals, in furtherance of APC’s desperation to take over these states.

“The PDP recalls similar action by the APC-controlled police, which in July, sealed local councils in Rivers State and barred caretaker committees lawfully appointed by the state government from taking charge of the councils.

“We wish to restate that the PDP lost a general election and not a war. PDP states are not occupied territories but part of the Nigerian nation; its members are not prisoners of war, but free citizens in a democratic state.

“We invite Nigerians and the international community to note that never in the history of our democracy have we witnessed such a divisive government, whose actions and constitutional violations have so polarized the polity along its fault lines, while undermining national unity and cohesion, a development that spells doom for our democracy, if left unchecked.

“Finally, we wish to state categorically that as citizens of this country, we can no longer continue to stomach such brazen attacks on our members and elected officials. The PDP will therefore hold several leadership and stakeholders meetings to come up with its response to this barefaced assault on our democracy. Enough is enough!”