The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday, said that the continued incarceration of its spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since Tuesday, January, 5, 2015, without charging him to court, clearly shows the dictatorial character of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC Federal Government, which has not hidden its disdain for rule of law and an appetite to gag the opposition.
The party said the continued detention is in clear breach of Chief Metuh’s constitutionally guaranteed liberty and fundamental rights.
The PDP in a statement signed by its National Legal Adviser, Barr. Victor Kwon, stressed that relying on a purported ‘holding charge’ said to have been derived from a Magistrate to detain Chief Metuh beyond the statutory period allowed by the law is in total violation of the constitution and extant corresponding rulings by several trial and appellate courts in the country.
“We draw the attention of all Nigerians and the international community to this illegal clamp-down on the opposition spokesman by the EFCC, using a purported holding charge said to have been derived from a magistrate court.
“Holding Charge which implies ‘arrest before investigation’ instead of ‘investigation before arrest’ is clearly an aberration and abuse of judicial process which has since been declared by several courts as illegal, null and void, and of no effect as it is totally in contradiction with section 35 (1), (4), (5a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The PDP is particularly worried that Chief Metuh, since his arrest on Tuesday, is being inhumanly kept in an underground cell where he is daily threatened by officials, who we gathered, have been mounting pressure on him to accept guilt of fictitious figures and implicate PDP leaders.
“The public is very much aware that the EFCC Chairman has visited the Presidential villa at least twice since Chief Metuh was arrested and detained by the commission, ostensibly to get further directives on the case.
“We invite the world to note that President Buhari’s election promise of fighting corruption has now been turned into a man-hunt of PDP leaders, while known corrupt APC leaders are being shielded by the system and rewarded with ministerial positions and other government appointments.
“Our nation is now being turned into a police state with its inherent constitutional violations and infringement on rights of citizens, a scenario which poses grave danger to national stability and survival of our democracy.
“The PDP strongly cautions against the avoidable tension and looming political crisis over the continuous clamp-down on our leaders and particularly, the continued incarceration of our spokesperson, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was arrested a few days after he confronted the Federal Government and the APC over their dictatorial pronouncements and actions.
“Our teeming members across the country have so far exercised reasonable restrain, but we caution that there is a limit to what they can stomach in the face of this brazen persecution of our spokesman. The President Buhari-led APC government and the EFCC should therefore hold themselves responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in the land over this matter.
“We therefore reinforce our demand on the EFCC to respect the course of law and release Chief Metuh immediately or charge him to court in line with the provisions of our laws if it strongly feels it has a case against him.
“Nigerians cannot afford to return to the era of dictatorship where constitutional provisions, respect for lawful processes and personal freedom of citizens under the law are trampled upon. Their response to this might come with very dire consequences,” added the PDP. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Wow thats bad...but under which government was the cell constructed?
ReplyDeleteThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has obtained a court order to detain the spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.
ReplyDeleteThe commission approached the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Wuse Zone 2 for an order to detain Metuh, who was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at his Abuja home.
He was picked up over his involvement in the $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal in which former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki is facing trial for.
“The application is supported by Form 8, which is the stipulated form for an application of this nature. It is of 16-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Junaid Saidu, a detective officer with EFCC.
“We place reliance on the entirety of the deposition in the said affidavit, especially paragraphs 4-15. In a nutshell, we have brought this application because the investigation involved in this case is a bit complex and there are also persons reasonably suspected to be involved in the fraud who are yet at large.
“We need the suspect in the custody so as to aid us in our investigation. So, we have come with this application to respectfully apply for an order of this Honourable Court authorising us to keep him in custody.
“By the provision of Section 296(1) of the ACJ Act, Your Worship is enjoined to grant an application of this nature for a period of 14 days.
“May I conclude my submission by referring this Honourable Court to the case of Lufadeju v. Jonhnson(2007) 8NWLR Pt 1037 at Page 535.
“This is a case where the Supreme Court held that it is constitutional to detain a suspect so as to aid investigation and to ensure that the right of the suspect is protected.
“This court has therefore found merit in this application and hereby allows the applicant to detain the respondent(Olisa Metuh) in their custody from the 6th of January to 13th of January, 2016, pending the investigation.
“The Respondent(Olisa Metuh) should be given access to his lawyer, relatives and medical doctors and should be arraigned before a court of law on or before 13th of January.”
Wht is ur point?
DeleteRead to learn. Rule of law is upheld.
DeleteUnderground cell, where is the law? Where are constitutional and human rights lawyers?
ReplyDeleteSorry they couldn't see anything wrong with what's going on cos this people should also be charged for murder.
DeleteIgbos have always complained of lack of representation and marginalization in the scheme of things. To appease the igbos and reflect Federal character Metuh and a few igbos are to be detained and charged to court this week and some people are still complains . You cannot please igbos self
ReplyDeleteWhat make him different from the other common citizens that goes the underground cell. After all, stealing nah stealing.
ReplyDeleteThe cell are made for all those that steal excluding nobody.
Nothing special in that. He should enjoy it
I want to hear from Ekiti
ReplyDeleteHmmmm
ReplyDeletenaija!
When they shared d sum meant to buy weapons that could hv decimated BH, no one talked abt constitutional right!
When they send our brothers(Soldier) to death by giving them
stones and catapult to fight Boko Haram!
No one cried!
Shut up ye hypocrites!
That is d reason Nigeria has most places of worship than the world, yet, most wicked!
On the day of d expected GOD Judgement, we will all be disappointed bcos d pagans we all treated with contempt will laff last!
Bcos we failed to understand that the biggest service to God/Allah occurs only when we love our fellow humans as God loves us!
QED!
Sai Baba!