The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to the United Nations, the European Union and other foreign countries, to urgently intervene in curbing the excesses of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
Other foreign bodies copied in the petition include the American Ambassador to Nigeria, H. E. W. Stuart Symington; Ambassador of France, France Embassy, H. E. Denys Gayer; Ambassador of China, Embassy of China, H. E. Dr Zhou Pingjiang; Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Nigeria, Nikolay Udovichenko.
The 12-paged petition was signed by the PDP National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, who alleged that President Buhari and his administration are desperate to retain power against the wishes of the Nigerian people who are groaning under the yoke of the misrule of the government in the last three years.
Secondus who took office as PDP chair on the 9th of December 2017, lamented that Buhari led APC government is doing all it can to frustrate the legitimate opposition and to intimidate and persecute our leaders
and ultimately destroy the fragile fabrics of our burgeoning democracy.
The petition titled ‘Threats to Democracy, rule of law, basic freedoms and gross human rights violations by the federal government of Nigeria’ reads in part:
“On the 9th of December 2017, I was elected as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by virtue of which I became the official leader of the opposition in Nigeria. Prior to this, in 2015, our party’s government led by President Goodluck Jonathan conducted a globally acclaimed free and fair presidential election and for the first time in our nation’s history superintended a peaceful, democratic transition of power from a party in government to an opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) – led by General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd).
“Our expectations had been that this government would work to strengthen or at least, sustain the gains of this democratic milestone.
“Regrettably, the President Buhari led APC government is doing all it can to frustrate the legitimate opposition and to intimidate and persecute our leaders and ultimately destroy the fragile fabrics of our burgeoning democracy.
“Our nation has become heavily polarized along dangerous fault lines where citizens now live in fear and mutual suspicion; where citizens are slaughtered by the day by marauders; where hunger and strange diseases ravage the people due to the insensitive and incoherent policies of this government. I am constrained to bring to the attention of the United Nations what appears to be a predetermined and orchestrated plan by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria through various agencies including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police and other security organisations to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
“The President and his administration are desperate to retain power against the wishes of the Nigerian people who are groaning under the yoke of the misrule of the government in the last three years.
“It is imperative to bring to the attention of the world, the various constitutional violations and the unrelenting persecution, arrest, detention and harried trial of opposition members as well as perceived opponents of government, including innocent business concerns, apparently in pursuit of the grand plot to discredit and stifle the opposition in Nigeria.
“There is also, the increasing unwarranted attacks by government-controlled security forces on journalists, media houses and other well-meaning Nigerians carrying out their legitimate duties simply because they hold different opinions from those of APC led government.
