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PDP cautions Buhari against ‘growing display of dictatorial tendencies’

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
22 June 2018   |   2:13 am
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) administration against what it called the “growing display of dictatorial tendencies.” It urged the Federal Government to exercise caution over its plan to establish cattle ranches in parts of the country.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) administration against what it called the “growing display of dictatorial tendencies.” It urged the Federal Government to exercise caution over its plan to establish cattle ranches in parts of the country.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged that the nation’s democracy had suffered serious abuses.He said: “Today, our dear nation has finally fallen into a perilous time. There are fears and trepidation everywhere. The safety, personal freedom and well-being of Nigerians, particularly opposition members, are no longer guaranteed.”

The party drew attention to the arrest and detention of former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, who it noted “has been kept incommunicado without access to his lawyers, while the Federal Government is not forthcoming with reasons for the action.”

The spokesman claimed that Suswan’s arrest and detention are intended to put him out of circulation, “so that he will not take part in the mega meetings of our party planned for the North Central states.”On the explosives discovered in the Ebonyi State secretariat of the party, Ologbondiyan said it was either planted to blow up “our secretariat and kill our members or to set up our leaders.

“These attacks, threats and intimidation targeted at influential Nigerians, particularly past leaders, show clearly that the APC and the Buhari presidency are very scared of their inevitable defeat in the 2019 general elections and now seek to apply all machinations to overheat the polity and ostensibly frustrate the process.”He enjoined the government to consult widely on the issue of establishing ranches in 10 states in order not to escalate the same problems it intends addressing.

“The situation has already generated discordant tunes and acrimony among major stakeholders, groups and states across the country, particularly issues of funding and land ownership,” the party added.The PDP called on the current administration to get its acts together and follow due process as stipulated by existing laws and the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to resolve the disagreements.

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