Group cautions FG over inciting statement to criminalise Obi, Datti   

A civil rights organisation, International Society for Civil and Rule of Law  (Intersociety), has cautioned Federal Government against fanning embers of hatred by making treason allegation against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, as such could instigate assassination moves on their lives.

Making this known to journalists in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday, Intersociety’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Emeka  Umeagbalusi, observed that the seeming treason alarm by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, has chances of exposing Obi and his running mate to danger, including assassination.

Intersociety, in a statement, said the false treason alarm raised by Mohammed in far away United States of America is nothing short of directly exposing Obi, Datti and their supporters, as well as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and other key democracy activists to security agencies’ harassments.

In addition, he said the minister’s utterance could incite attacks or threats to their privacies and properties, as well as their fundamental human right to life, dignity of human person and personal liberty, such as unlawful arrest and detention without trial.

Umeagbalusi insisted that Federal Government’s treason allegation “clearly and gravely runs contrary to fundamental human rights, which are constitutionally provided to secure and protect the political actors concerned, as well as democracy activists.

“These, in addition to citizens’ rights to political participation, including rights to vote and be voted for, are also provided in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights of 1981, signed, ratified and domesticated by Nigeria in 1983.”

Intersociety, therefore, warned that nothing must happen to Obi, Datti, Atiku, others, stressing: “Nigerian security agencies and their commanders must refrain from being used by the outgoing Buhari/Osinbajo government to falsely or criminally label and molest defenseless Nigerians, including the named political actors and democracy activists.

“Obi, Datti and Atiku must be protected at all times by security operatives to enable them attend to and conclude their cases before the election tribunal. Nigeria must avoid set on unquenchable fire.”