Buhari’s directive on AITdangerous for Nigeria’sdemocracy – PDP

Buhari’s directive on AIT
dangerous for Nigeria’s
democracy – PDP

image

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described
as unacceptable the Monday’s directive by the
President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to bar a
television house, the AIT, from covering his
activities, saying the suppression of the media
under any guise portends danger for the nation’s
democracy.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a
statement on Tuesday said that after carefully
studying the defence posited by General Buhari’s
campaign spokesperson as well as the
smokescreen statement by the APC to cover and
mitigate his anti-media posture, the PDP and indeed
all lovers of democracy are persuaded that the
action was not only unjustifiable, but also
unconstitutional and completely against the spirit of
liberty and the rule of law in a democracy.
He said “the PDP as a party that have nurtured the
nation’s democracy in the past 16 years cannot
afford to fold its hands and watch the constitutional
rights, media freedom and personal liberty of
Nigerians, the basic tenets of democracy being
demolished.
“We ask, is this a beginning of the feared erosion of
the freedom and personal liberty the media and
Nigerian citizens have been enjoying in the last 16
years under the PDP led-administration? Has our
dear nation finally fallen into the clutches of
totalitarianism and impunity where government
actions will based on egocentric decisions and
impulses of individuals rather than the rule of law?
“While we assure the President-elect of our resolve
to run a mature and responsible opposition based
on issues, we are disturbed by this emerging
development and reassure the Nigerian people that
we will continue to stand with them on issues of
democracy and freedom at all times.
“Perhaps, we need to remind General Buhari that
part of the challenge of his new position, even as
President-elect is that he has lost his private life
which is now subject to public scrutiny and media
interrogation, as required of the custodian of the
mandate of the Nigerian people.
“The PDP is not oblivious of the background of the
President-elect especially as it relates to the
freedom of the media, but we had thought that
having declared to be a converted democrat, he
would make himself amenable to the basic
principles of democracy by following the due
process of the law on any circumstance.
“General Buhari may also wish to be reminded that
the Nigerian constitution upon which provisions he
emerged President-elect, also gave the media
powers to cover activities of public office holders
while at the same time providing legal avenues for
redress in the event of any violation. If the right of
the President-elect was in anyway violated by the
AIT or any media house for that matter, he is
expected to act within the law and seek redress in
the courts otherwise one would have no option than
to conclude that he is out for personal vendetta.
“The APC and the President-elect may have one or
two lessons to pick from President Goodluck
Jonathan, who though the most maligned and
abused President in the history of our nation, even
by the APC, allowed his actions to be sufficiently
guided by humility, tolerance and the rule of law”,
the PDP said.
The party called on Nigerians not to despair but
remain steadfast and unite in resisting any anti-
democratic tendencies intended to instill fear in
them and set the stage for a dictatorial order and
the erosion of their personal freedom and liberty as
citizens, which they have been enjoying in the last
16 years under the PDP.

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  1. October 9, 2023

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