Ajaero: PDP cautions FG against indiscriminate arrests

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Federal Government against what it describes as indiscriminate arrests, a development it claims could worsen the tension in the country.

While the PDP, at a press conference by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, on Monday, said it was still studying the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, it urged the federal government to be more sensitive to the welfare of the people.

“So we will, as a party, find out since this is breaking and take it from there. Indeed, if government is about welfare and the people are saying we are dying, it is sane to review those policies,” the party said, adding that there is a need for caution.

“There was a protest in this country; the government did not do anything. You arrest some people and say they were terrorists, and you charge them to court. You say some people were the sponsors of the protest. This is dangerous,” it noted.

He said the original issues that led to the protest were hunger and extreme poverty.

“We know those who sponsored the protest; the sponsor is hunger. The President and his people should arrest hunger, and there will be no problem. Let your policies that are draconian and bringing people to their knees be reviewed. This is the season school is resuming, and we know what all of us are going through, especially those who have pupils in school.”

Ologunagba lamented that the government’s insensitivity is disrupting the plans of individual families.

“You wake up one morning, and you cannot plan because the government is so insensitive and irresponsible. Why does government exist? For the welfare and security of the people. Now, we don’t have welfare or security. This is a breaking story. Let us see and hear what it is. We will find out. Let the government face the welfare challenges of this country, and there will be no protest,” the party stressed.

“Nobody really cares who the president of this country is if the government provides us with the opportunity to pursue our own goals and aspirations.”

The party expressed shock that a government unable to pay more than a N70,000 minimum wage would buy a very expensive aircraft for the President.

“You must show leadership by saying, ‘okay, you are telling me to tighten my belt, and you are buying a new belt.’ This is a country that, according to them, cannot pay N70,000 minimum wage, but can buy a $150 million plane. The President is trying to test how good it is, and he is flying everywhere. This is a country where you spend 21 billion naira to renovate the Vice President’s house, where they claim to have no money, but the President will buy a yacht. There is no water body in Abuja, so for the President to get to the yacht, he will have to travel one hour to Lagos.

“The yacht has 24-hour security protection. Until we talk about these issues, the President should know that when he is in a position, it is in our interest that he succeeds. Because the success of the President is our success. Nobody wishes him failure, but if his decisions are such that they cause Nigerians pain, we will speak. We know the reality of Nigeria, with its constraints of tribe and ethnicity, but it pales into insignificance compared to the reality of Nigerians. People are dying every day, and you know that,” he said.