Imo: PDP protests at US, UK, EU embassies

Leon Usigbe | Abuja

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kick-started a protest march to Western embassies in Abuja to deliver its message drawing attention to what it says is the attempt to truncate democracy by alleged Federal Government’s use of the judiciary to reverse election results.

Led by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, the party chieftains started their march at the American embassy at the Diplomatic Zone, Abuja where Secondus delivered a prepared letter.

The party moved to the neighbouring United Kingdom High Commission for the same mission.

Speaking after handing the letter to embassy officials, Secondus also reiterated that President Muhammadu Buhari was overwhelmed by the security situation in the country and therefore called for foreign assistance for the country.

He referred to what he said was the injustice perpetrated by the administration at elections, insisting that what happened in case of the Imo governorship election recently overturned by the Supreme Court, was a coup against the PDP.

The PDP called on the Western powers and the international community to take more than a passing interest in the issue to avoid an imminent breakdown of law and order.

In the letter titled: “Perversion of Justice: Deliberate Efforts At Truncating Democracy  in Nigeria,” to the envoys, Secondus told them that the idea was to bring to their notice, a serious case of judicial compromise and deliberate perversion of justice by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which he said was now threatening the nation’s democracy as well as it’d peace, stability and corporate existence.

His letter to the embassies read: “You may recall that our party, the PDP, the leading opposition party in Nigeria, has been raising issues regarding the continuous interference and arm-twisting of the judiciary by the executive arm and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to influence the outcome of election petitions in various courts, annul elections won by our party and transfer victory to the APC.

“Your Excellency, it may have come to your notice that there have been serious protests in various states of our nation threatening the stability of our nation over a recent judgment of the Supreme Court.

“On the 14th of January 2020, the Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Tanko, in a most bizarre judgment and against the dictates of all laws and judicial practice, overturned the Imo state governorship election clearly won by Emeka Ihedioha/PDP, who had since been sworn in and handed the state over to the APC and its candidate, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

“It is instructive to inform you that this perversion of justice has already sparked off protests in various parts of our country and has become a clear threat to peace, unity and stability of our nation and the survival of our democracy.

“We rejected the judgment with clear call for a judicial review and ultimate reversal of the judgment by the Supreme Court.”