By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said yesterday that it is not opposed to the fight against corruption in the country, through the establishment of credible anti-corruption institutions, by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government.
The opposition party however demanded that prosecutions must be done in a credible, transparent, legitimate and constitutional manner.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, while addressing the media yesterday in Abuja, pointed out that the party will not allow the persecution of its members under the guise of the fight against corruption.
The PDP alleged that a Presidential Committee set up by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced onslaught on its leaders including some of its serving governors and presidential aspirants ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The opposition party disclosed that no fewer than 28 cases have been filed based on trumped up charges against its leaders, claiming it was aware of “clandestine meetings between agents of the APC and some compromised judicial officers to get conviction at all cost.”
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, who did not give details of the presidential aspirants involved, however, urged the judiciary and all security agencies not to compromise their independence.
According to Ologbondiyan, “Currently, the APC has fully commenced a major onslaught on leaders and key voices in the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly our state governors, opposition leaders in the National Assembly as well as our presidential hopefuls.
“We have also been made aware of a special presidential committee put up by the APC federal government to persecute our leaders. Already, no fewer than 28 cases have been filed based on trumped up charges.
“In the same vein, we are in the know of plots to embarrass credible individuals, particularly in the PDP, known or perceived to be interested in contesting the 2019 presidential election, having realized that their party, the APC, is finally stuck with a very unpopular and rejected Presidential candidate, who can no longer command the support of Nigerians.
“We also want to bring to the attention of the international Community that in its desperate attempt to win election, the APC-led federal government is stopping at nothing, including resort to undemocratic proclivities.
“We are not opposed to the fight against corruption, which, of course, was started by our party, through the establishment of credible anti-corruption institutions. We however, demand that prosecutions must be done in a credible, transparent, legitimate and constitutional manner,” the party said.
The opposition party further alleged that there is a dangerous plot to arrest and detain members of the civil society, opinion leaders, the media and other professionals on trumped up charges of alleged politicization of security issues in the country, using compromised security and judicial officers.
