Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has lambasted the Buhari Government over the continued detention of journalist, Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore had been arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) after convening a protest tagged #RevolutionNow against the current government.
In a statement on Tuesday by OPC Publicity Secretary, Yinka Oguntimehin, the group said the prolonged detention was deliberate and warned the current administration stop ridiculing Africa’s biggest nation.
An Abuja Federal High Court on Monday denied Sowore bail after he pleaded not guilty to seven counts against him.
OPC said: “It is obvious that the federal government is playing politics with Sowore’s detention. Where on earth does a democratically elected president flout the law and refuse court orders? This administration is treating the judiciary with contempt and it is sad.
“With democracy under President Muhammadu Buhari, the numbers of federal government detainees are growing by the day. Before the new judgment, there had been an existing court order for his release but the FG didn’t blink. The situation is affecting the image of the country.
“We cannot continue to fold our arms and behave as if nothing is wrong. If the federal government continue this way, that means we are heading towards becoming a lawless nation and that portends a grave danger.
“This administration is using the institution and the paraphernalia of office of the presidency to suppress human rights and cow oppositions. The world is watching as we continually abuse other people’s rights at will”.
However, the OPC expressed dismay at the Waterways Bill sent to the legislature, alleging the federal government was doing everything within its powers to overwhelm the states and make them redundant.
“It is a ploy to take what nature has willingly bestow on the states from them. We wanted restructuring, we wanted devolution of powers; yet the FG is becoming more powerful everyday with its centralistic government”.
“The proponents of Federalism as we practise in Nigeria believe in the federal government having overwhelming powers at the expense of the states and the local government. So, of what interest is the Waterways Bill to the legislature?
“With the new development, it shows the federal government is deeply interested in the bill because the 8th National Assembly rejected it. The 9th Assembly must look deeply into the bill. As the representatives of the people, the wishes of Nigerians must prevail at all times”, OPC stated.
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