Government News Source|26 July 2018
PRESS RELEASE
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Speakers' Forum vehemently condemns the Tuesday July 24, 2018 yet another attempt to undermine Nigeria's hard earned Democracy in the face of flagrant abuses of the rule of law and the near total disregard for the Legislature – the popular symbol of Democracy.
The barricading yesterday of the Senate President's convoy and the subjection to house arrest of his Deputy by Nigeria Security Agents and other collaborators were shameless and malicious attempts to subdue the Legislature and compromise her independence.
It has become apparent that our security agencies have now become willing tools in the hands of the ruling party to achieve selfish political gains via intimidation, coercion and trumped up charges against dissenters; consequently, our democracy has come under severe attacks.
After 19 years of the current democratic order, it is obvious that the first 16 years under the PDP government offered Nigerians the political environment to develop democratic values and culture. Regrettably, the last 3 years have seen a desperate imposition of "Rule by Law" in place of "Rule of Law".
Albeit, the PDP has through the coalition tried to provide the holding environment desperately needed to nurture and regain the democratic mainstay required to restore the Rule of Law and usher Nigeria into a liberal Democracy.
We wish to congratulate the Senate President Dr Olubukola Saraki and his Deputy Prof Ike Ekweremadu for choosing the path of honour, for their resolute spirits, unalloyed loyalty to the people and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for the rare courage to defend the country's democracy even in the face pervasive opposition.
To all who have defected back to the PDP and many others on the way, we say welcome to the party with a democratic conscience and a predestined blueprint for a better Nigeria.
Finally, we wish to call on proponents and lovers of democracy across the world to rise and not sit back and watch democracy being raped in Nigeria by anti democratic forces who have found themselves in power.
After all, in the end, evil we know will never prevail against good. Democracy must stand in Nigeria; Viva!
Signed:
Rt Hon (Barr) John Gaul Lebo
Chairman, PDP Speakers' Forum & Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly 25th July, 2018
