CITIZENS COMPASS– Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Friday, sent a strong warning to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, for asking the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest the flag bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed for allegedly “riling up” their supporters popularly known as ‘Obidients’.
HURIWA has also called for an investigation by the National Judicial Council to the circumstances surrounding the sighting of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola on a wheelchair in the United Kingdom at the same time that the controversially returned President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu jetted off to France.
Some Nigrrisns alleged the trip to be a ploy for the duo to meet over the pending election petition filed by Peter Obi of Labour party and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
HURIWA wondered how the newly appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria suddenly started being wheeled in a wheelchair as he is infirm or too sick to head the judiciary and his mission to London which is only about 45 minutes of a train ride to Paris from the Pancrass International train station in London. The Rights group alleged that the leadership if the judiciary has had many controversial public outings dubbed to be politically tainted which the office of the CJN had denied.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA slammed the so-called spokesperson to Bola Tinubu Campaign Council, saying he should have been sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari when he was appointed as Tinubu campaigner even as a minister.
The group said Nigeria will be thrown into unprecedented unrest if the secret police dare lay their hands on Obi and Baba-Ahmed.
HURIWA also said the APC and its candidate should not think that they have the DSS in their pocket, noting that all actions needed to be taken in and outside Nigeria will be legally taken to force the unconstitutional actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the entire government of President Muhammadu Buhari who saw power as a reward for the former Lagos governor who was said to have installed him in office in 2015.
HURIWA again lambasted Keyamo for saying the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal will clear Tinubu of all allegations brought against him by Obi of and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) even when the Tribunal has yet to fully begin the case.
Keyamo had on Thursday petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) to invite the LP leaders over their rejection of the declaration of Bola Tinubu as the President-elect and their pursuit of justice at the courts.
But the minister accused Obi and Datti of riling Nigerians against the judiciary.
HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The petition by Festus Keyamo to the DSS is a total abuse of office as minister and privilege as a member of the ruling party. The DSS should kick out the petition and not entertain it at all because it is totally illegal and has no place in a sane society.
“Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed have decided to go to court to challenge the declaration of Bola Tinubu as the President-Elect by INEC in the controversial election of February 25, 2023. Obi and Baba-Ahmed are in court as they are advised by Tinubu and in fact, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“However, instead of allowing the petition tribunal at the Court of Appeal to decide on the electoral matter, Keyamo, who parades himself as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, displayed a total ignorance and disrespect himself as a member of the inner bar by asking the DSS to arrest Obi and Baba-Ahmed.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should have sacked him when he started earning two salaries as minister and as Tinubu campaigner. Nigeria will burn if they touch Peter Obi. They should not think that they have the DSS in their pocket.”
HURIWA is a human rights advocacy group.
