PDP to Trump: Educate Buhari on Respect for Human Rights | CNR

President Donald Trump in handshake with President Mohammadu Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has asked United States, US President Donald Trump to caution President Mohammadu Buhari over increasing rate of human rights abuse in the country under his watch.

The party stated this during a press conference by the its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja on Saturday.

Mr. Ologbondiyan told journalists that Nigeria is now on the brink of total collapse, hence the need to draw the attention of the world to the ongoings in the country.

"As you are aware, President Muhammadu Buhari is on his way to the United States, the home of democracy, whereas back home in Nigeria his administration has completely wrecked our democratic order, eroded constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens while foisting a siege mentality on our people.

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"We have called you here to alert the entire world, particularly, the United States, that our nation is now on the brink.

"Nigeria is facing a perilous time; our constitution has been technically suspended; we have now become a Police State; governance has reverted to the nightmares of the 1984 era, when draconian leaders held sway and forcefully held our people under the grips of military Decree 2.

While noting that wanton killings, total collapse of respect for human rights and infringement on freedom has become the order of the day in the country under Buhari's watch, the party lamented that Nigerians are now living in perpetual fear of expressing their views.

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"Currently, there is a total collapse of respect for constitutionally guaranteed personal freedom; there is no regard for natural course of justice, life in Nigeria is gradually returning to the state of nature and there is fear everywhere.

"Today, Nigerians are being hounded, arrested and directly detained on ‘order from above’, without warrant; citizens are locked up in dehumanizing detention centres without access to medical care and legal assistance, just for holding political opinions that run contrary to the views of those in power at the center.

"There are preponderance instances of citizens’ detention in special police and military facilities for weeks, months and in some cases, many years without trial. Nigerians are daily falling victims of extreme torture, extra-judicial and arbitrary killings and mass burial by unrestrained agents of state security forces.

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"In spite of our alarm, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Senators Aliyu Wamakko, Rabiu Kwankwaso, David Mark, Dino Melaye, Albert Akpan, Godswill Akpabio, Danjuma Goje, Peter Nwoboshi, Isah Misau and Shehu Sani as well as former governors Sule Lamido, Ibrahim Shema, Babangida Aliyu and others have all come under intense harassment, intimidation and outright breach of their fundamental rights over trumped-up charges.

The opposition party called on President Trump to do well by cautioning President Buhari over increasing rate of human rights abuse in Nigeria "as already detailed in the report by the US Department of State”.

"We therefore urge President Donald Trump to stand up for democracy and take President Buhari to task on constitutional and human rights violations in Nigeria under his watch, as already detailed in the report by the US Department of State.

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"We also urge all international organizations, particularly, the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take note of the horrendous situation in our country and spare no energy in intervening to stem this ugly trend.

"Let the truth be told! Nigeria is bleeding under President Buhari and the world must come to the rescue. We also pray that President Buhari will not use the occasion of his visit to President Trump to further de-market our nation as he has always done whenever he is outside the country on official assignment", the party emphasized.