PDP Condemns Arrest of CUPP Spokesman On Orders Of Speaker Gbajabiamila
…Demands his immediate release
BY GRACE ANYANWU, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday decried the arrest of the Spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, in defiance of a subsisting court order barring such.
The Party said the arrest is a direct affront to the judiciary, an assault on the nation’s democratic practice and a violation of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere’s rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The PDP therefore demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the Spokesperson of the CUPP, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who was arrested on the orders of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
The party in demanding his release, said that it is deeply worried by reports that the CUPP spokesperson is being detained under very dehumanizing condition where he is also allegedly being tortured.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyn, said that, without prejudice to the issues between the leadership of the House of Representatives and the CUPP, for which the two parties are before a court, resorting to using the police to arrest and detain the CUPP spokesperson, in defiance of the orders of the court, is completely unacceptable, unlawful and cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever.
The statement further states; “Our party charges the Presiding Officers of the APC-led House of Representatives to note that Nigeria is a democratic state, governed by law which creates no space for the whims and caprices of dictatorial, oppressive and vindictive individuals, who has no regard for rules
“The APC leaders in the House of Representatives should therefore respect the sanctity of the judiciary and the provisions of the law by following due process in dealing with issues, particularly those guaranteed by the constitution.”
The PDP therefore called on the Inspector General of Police to wade into the matter, insulate the police from the political manipulation of the APC leadership, by immediately ordering the release of the CUPP Spokesperson, in keeping with the demands of the tenets of democracy, rule of law and provision of 1999 Constitution.