Suppression Of The Media Is Dangerous For Democracy -PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Monday’s alleged
directive by President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to bar a television
house, AIT, from covering his activities, as unacceptable saying that
the suppression of the media under any guise portends danger for the
nation’s democracy.

Olisa Metuh.

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.
Read the statement below:
“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)