The
opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has filed a petition at
the United Nations (UN) against President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a letter to the UN Secretary General,
Antonio Guterres, the National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, told the world
body that Mr Buhari has a predetermined plan to use federal agencies like the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the army, and the police to
‘truncate’ Nigeria’s democracy.
The PDP, in the letter which is dated April 30,
2018, accused Mr Buhari of violating the Nigerian constitution and persecuting
members of the opposition, as well as attacking journalists and “well-meaning”
Nigerians who hold different opinions from Mr Buhari’s party, the All
Progressives Congress (APC).
The British, German, French, Chinese, the U.S,
and the Russian embassies in Nigeria, as well as the European Union secretariat
in Abuja, were copied in the letter.
The PDP said the Federal government was behind
the spate of violent killings between herdsmen and farmers in different parts
of the country.
The party mentioned the recent arrest and
arraignment of a senator from Kogi State, Dino Malaye, and how another senator,
Matthew Urhoghide, was physically attacked by pro-APC thugs in his home state
of Edo as evident of the president’s intolerance of opposition and criticism.
The attack of the PDP senator, Mr Urhoghide, at
the Benin airport, came days after he called for Mr Buhari’s impeachment in the
Senate for approval and withdrawal of $496 million from the Excess Crude
Account (ECA) without the lawmakers’ consent.
Mr Malaye, though a member of the ruling APC,
has been a constant critic of the president.
Before his dramatic arrest and arraignment, the
senator was engaged in a running battle with the police. The police in March
accused Mr Melaye of arming political thugs in Kogi State. He was later
declared wanted for alleged complicity in a murder case.
The PDP, which accuses Mr Buhari of being
desperate to retain power, said the president was shielding his corrupt party
members from the law, while allegedly using the guise of anti-corruption to
witch-hunt members of the opposition.
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