THE Ohaneze Ndigbo Youths Wing, on Friday reacted to the court order granting the detention of the Chief Executieve of Sahara reporters and the Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in the just concluded 2019 general elections, Mr. Omoyele Sowore for 45 days, describing the action as threat to freedom of expression in any democratic setting.
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, Thursday, granted the Department of State Services, (DSS), an order to keep Omoyele Sowore in detention for 45 days pending the outcome of its discrete investigations.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo also said DSS could get additional permission to detain Sowore in custody.
Speaking with newsmen in Awka, the national leader of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth wing, Dr. Arthur Uchenna Obiorah, said “leaders should try to read between the lines to know what the protesters are asking for in the general interest of the country.”
Taraba incident: Police demand whereabouts of suspected kidnap kingpin
Dr. Obiorah denied the claims that the protesters’ intention was to upset the government agenda, saying the authority should read between the lines and decode the true messages behind the nationwide agitations.
He disclosed that the nation is in dire need of national conference where most of the questions itemised by the Africa Action Congress presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election, Omoyele Sowore are considered for implementation.
According to him, “we request an unconditional release of Omoyele Sowore whose detention order, the federal court has fallen below international standard that allows freedom of association, expression and assemblage of men of like minds’’.
Dr. Obiorah stated that the clamour for RevolutionNow by Nigerians should be well thought about, saying it was an avenue for Nigerians to pour out their minds on the state of the nation by protesting what they felt was not right within the context of the universal coverage.
He said the nation needs urgent attention to address what he described as imbalance being experienced in some sectors of the economy, which according to him necessitated the demand for recent protest by concerned citizens of the country.
The youth leader who called for respite, called on President Muhamadu Buhari to reconsider the earlier request by the Southern and Middle belt leaders, calling for restructuring of the country that will devolve powers to the federating units.
He, however , submitted that the Igbo apex socio cultural group parent body had also raised a suggestion for a restructured state where every component unit of the federation will develop at its own pace, adding that the recent insecurity challenges being experienced across the country would be corrected if the nation is restructured.
While speaking on insecurity challenges in the south region of the country, Dr. Obiorah condemned the kidnapping of the traditional ruler of Obom Autonomous Community in Agbogugu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Sunday Orji and his wife, who were kidnapped by yet to be identified gunmen.
He also called for the speedy arrest of the killer of Reverend Father Paul, a catholic priest, who was shot dead along Ihe-Agbudu Road in Awgu local government area of the state.
Reverend Father Paul Offu’s death came barely five months after Rev. Fr. Clement Ugwu, the parish priest of St Mark Catholic Church, Obinofia Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local Government Area of the State was killed.
and then