Following police take over of the Edo State House of Assembly, the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has warned President Mohammadu Buhari against tendencies capable of destroying Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, CUPP, viewed Police take over of the state legislature as an affront on Nigeria’s democracy.
The statement reads:
“The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) is again disturbed by the news of the early Thursday forceful take over of the Edo State House of Assembly by men of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Opposition Coalition views this development taking place in a democracy as an affront to all our past and present heroes who fought hard for the entronement of democracy in the country. The attempt to use former members of Edo House of Assembly whose seats have been declared vacant to take over the House is an invitation to anarchy and an act of treason.
“We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari and his men to halt all actions and inactions capable of pushing the nation towards a crisis like the 1983 crisis that led to collapse of democracy.
“We also urge the President to call the disgraced former factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole and his desperate followers, to order before his actions in Edo State instigate electoral violence that will consume the nation and its hard-won democracy.
“The CUPP also calls upon the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to mobilise the citizens of the state to resist these political bandits.
“In doing so, the governor is urged to invoke the provisions of Section 20 of the Criminal Code and mobilise the citizens to exercise their constitutional right to stop people flouting the laws or carrying out criminal activities in their presence
“We however praised the governor for showing maturity so far in the face of unwarranted provocation. We advise him that while he is displaying maturity, the red line must be drawn.
“No one person, no matter how highly placed, should be above the law. The governor must be ready to protect the people of the state and his mandate from predators.
“We shall be watching developments in the state and the entire nation with great attention and we ask all lovers of democracy both at home and abroad to join us in doing so.“