By MBACHU GODWIN, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has condemned the restriction order issued on Peter Obi and other opposition leaders by the Edo state governor, Sen. Monday Okpeboholo, saying that they are not welcomed to the state.
The party in a press conference at the weekend by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi described such statements as a dangerous trend that should be discouraged.
Abdullahi noted that it is becoming a pattern of the All progressive Congress, APC, governors who are in the habit of making such statements, insisting that every Nigerian has the right of freedom of movement.
He said “This is not the first time. It is becoming a pattern for APC governors to make the kind of pronouncements credited to Governor Okpebholo, declaring that Mr. Obi or opposition leaders are not welcome in their state. This is not democratic and it’s a very dangerous pattern. Nigeria is a free country, and every citizen of Nigeria has the right to go anywhere in this country.
“We don’t need a visa in our country. We don’t need anybody’s permission to go to any part of our country. This also speaks to an authoritarian instinct among some of these governors of the APC. And we believe that this can only get worse if it’s not nipped in the board.
“This kind of statement, sounds more like a monarchical statement rather than a democratic statement and it is dangerous for democracy. And we in the ADC, we are alarmed, we are worried that we have not even started big political activities. We have not started campaigns and already our governors are saying that some leaders of our parties are not welcome in their respective states. The states don’t belong to them. The states belong to Nigerian people. So we are concerned and want to put it on record to every Nigerian and international community to follow what is going on in Nigeria”
He accused the ruling party of intimidating and harassing the opposition leaders having failed to turn the country into one party
“Having failed to turn Nigeria into one-party states, now the strategy is to begin to intimidate and issue threats and warnings that we cannot come to their state. This is unacceptable. We will go anywhere in Nigeria that we want because Nigeria is a free country”
Meanwhile, the party spokesman reiterated the commitment of the party for a transparent primary to choose the flag beater of the party, stating that the ADC has no anointed candidate.
“I have not heard Peter Obi or Abubakar Atiku say if it’s not them, then it’s nothing. It’s their supporters or people who purport to speak for them that are saying this. Whether it’s Peter Obi or Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or any other aspirants on the platform of African Democratic Congress understand that this is democracy and we are not going to anoint any aspirant or candidate”
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