Uche Secondus<br />Photo: Twitter/UcheSecondus
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has petitioned the United Nations (UN) over Federal Government’s alleged human rights abuses, intimidation of the opposition and acts that threaten democracy.
The petition titled, ‘Threat to Democracy, Rule of Law, Basic Freedoms and Gross Human Rights Violation by the Federal Government of Nigeria’, was addressed to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterress, by PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
The party accused President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of frustrating political opposition, saying since it assumed office, the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration has been harassing and intimidating opposition figures in the country.
It also alleged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies were working with government to keep the APC-led government in office beyond 2019.
“Our nation has become heavily polarised along dangerous faulty lines where citizens now live in fear and mutual suspicion; where citizens are daily slaughtered 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 INEC, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police and other security organisations to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.”
On alleged intimidation of opposition members, the party wrote: “Since assumption of office in 2015, the President and the Federal Government agencies have provided a blanket shield for corrupt officials and any member of the opposition, who decamps to the ruling APC.”
