PDP Drags FG To Court Over Buhari’s Executive Order
…Says It’s A Descent To Fascism
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced plans to sue the Federal Government for alleged breach of the constitution regarding the promulgation of the Asset Seizure Executive Order by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday.
It described the order as illegal, unconstitutional, reprehensible and a dangerous step towards a descent to fascism.
Hinting of plan to drag the Federal government to court over the matter, the party stated “already, our lawyers are considering a legal action against the Federal Government on the illegality of Mr. President’sactioninthe interest of Nigeria and Nigerians”
Describing it as a step taken in total disregard to the provisions of the1999 constitution, the party alerted that “the Nigerian constitution does not, in any section, confer such fascist powers on the President in our democracy and there can be no legitimate latitude of interpreta- tion placed on the President in respect of sections 5 and 15 (5) of the 1999 Constitution cited as justifications for this draconian executive order, that can excuse it”
The PDP, in a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday said “President Buhari’s unilateral Executive Order is a travesty of justice and rule of law, as it vehemently seeks to hijack and usurp the powers of both the legislature and the courts and vest it on himself, so that he can use same at will to haunt, traumatise, harass and victimize perceived political opponents.”
“In order words, President wants to change our democratic governance to a military regime, in line with his lamentation, two days ago, that the fight against corruption will be better under a military regime than under a democracy.”
However, the PDP said it is not in anyway opposed to the fight against corruption, pointing out that the imposi- tion of this Executive Order, which is radically at variance with the provisions of the constitution, is totally unacceptable.
According to the party, “this Executive Order 6 of 2018 is a re-enactment of the obnoxious Decree 2 of 1984, which incidentally was also enacted during the then military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, and this must not be permitted in our current democratic dispensation”
The opposition party further argued that “If allowed, this Order will confer limitless powers on President, whose administration’s penchant for violation of rules and order already suggests a readiness for autocracy and a drive towards fascism”
The PDP further charged the judiciary and the legislature to save the nation and her people from an imminent fascism by rejecting this obnoxious Executive Order.