Press statement from the PDP on AIT ban,
which the APC has since lifted..
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
has described as unacceptable the
Monday’s directive by the President-
elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to bar
a television house, the AIT, from
covering his activities, saying the
suppression of the media under any
guise portends danger for the nation’s
democracy.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh
in a statement on Tuesday said that after
carefully studying the defence posited by
General Buhari’s campaign spokesperson as
well as the smokescreen statement by the
APC to cover and mitigate his anti-media
posture, the PDP and indeed all lovers of
democracy are persuaded that the action was
not only unjustifiable, but also
unconstitutional and completely against the
spirit of liberty and the rule of law in a
democracy.
He said “the PDP as a party that have
nurtured the nation’s democracy in the past
16 years cannot afford to fold its hands and
watch the constitutional rights, media
freedom and personal liberty of Nigerians, the
basic tenets of democracy being demolished.
“We ask, is this a beginning of the feared
erosion of the freedom and personal liberty
the media and Nigerian citizens have been
enjoying in the last 16 years under the PDP
led-administration? Has our dear nation
finally fallen into the clutches of
totalitarianism and impunity where
government actions will based on egocentric
decisions and impulses of individuals rather
than the rule of law?
“While we assure the President-elect of our
resolve to run a mature and responsible
opposition based on issues, we are disturbed
by this emerging development and reassure
the Nigerian people that we will continue to
stand with them on issues of democracy and
freedom at all times.
“Perhaps, we need to remind General Buhari
that part of the challenge of his new position,
even as President-elect is that he has lost his
private life which is now subject to public
scrutiny and media interrogation, as required
of the custodian of the mandate of the
Nigerian people.
“The PDP is not oblivious of the background
of the President-elect especially as it relates
to the freedom of the media, but we had
thought that having declared to be a
converted democrat, he would make himself
amenable to the basic principles of
democracy by following the due process of
the law on any circumstance.
“General Buhari may also wish to be
reminded that the Nigerian constitution upon
which provisions he emerged President-elect,
also gave the media powers to cover
activities of public office holders while at the
same time providing legal avenues for
redress in the event of any violation. If the
right of the President-elect was in anyway
violated by the AIT or any media house for
that matter, he is expected to act within the
law and seek redress in the courts otherwise
one would have no option than to conclude
that he is out for personal vendetta.
“The APC and the President-elect may have
one or two lessons to pick from President
Goodluck Jonathan, who though the most
maligned and abused President in the history
of our nation, even by the APC, allowed his
actions to be sufficiently guided by humility,
tolerance and the rule of law”, the PDP said.
The party called on Nigerians not to despair
but remain steadfast and unite in resisting
any anti-democratic tendencies intended to
instill fear in them and set the stage for a
dictatorial order and the erosion of their
personal freedom and liberty as citizens,
which they have been enjoying in the last 16
years under the PDP.
Signed:
Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary
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