*By Ishaq Murtala*<\/p>\n
The recent arrest and subsequent detention of Mr Uyi Giwa-Osagie, lawyer to
\nthe leading opposition PDP candidate in the rescheduled 2019 Presidential
\nelection of Saturday, February 23, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, by operatives of
\nthe EFCC, is exactly what it is: a political witch hunt, aggressive
\nintimidation and harassment of opposition actors motivated by the well
\nknown tyranny of a jittery and fading government which has carved for
\nitself an inglorious niche of destroying state security institutions by
\nusing them to achieve selfish and extra-judicial purposes in blatant and
\nflagrant disregard for the rights of Nigerians, the rule of law and
\nconstitutionalism.<\/p>\n
In their usual characteristic manner of subverting legally prescribed
\njudicial processes for the arrest of citizens, opposition members and those
\nassociated with them have been severally and severely persecuted by this
\ngovernment, and Uyi Giwa-Osagie\u2019s case is not different as he was
\nreportedly subjected, without any warrant of whatever kind, to a straight
\n7-hour search of his house and office, took him away along with files of
\nhis clients and detained him even when it was reported that nothing
\nincriminating was found during the grueling search.<\/p>\n
There is no gainsaying the fact that this is a gross abuse of the lawyer\u2019s
\nrights particularly when the files belonging to his clients were carted
\naway in such a brazen manner thereby grossly violating the trust that
\nusually exists between lawyers and their clients. And to think that this
\nwas nothing but a politically motivated raid, it causes the hearts of
\npatriotic Nigerians to bleed.<\/p>\n
No doubt, this is a panic button being pressed by the APC-led federal
\ngovernment on the eve of the presidential election. Just over a week ago,
\nPresident Muhammadu Buhari addressed the nation twice saying in one of
\nthem, \u201cI hereby humbly ask for your support again in the coming election to
\nenable us to move to the next level and consolidate on the successes
\nrecorded in making our country a better place. I don\u2019t take your support
\nfor granted\u201d.<\/p>\n
The question Nigerians have been asking since that broadcast is, since when
\ndid Buhari start addressing Nigerians and use the word \u201chumbly\u201d? This is
\nthe same president they had \u201chumbly begged\u201d several times to address them
\non critical national issues but he had always rebuffed them with the
\narrogance of Pharaoh only for him to go abroad and talk down, brashly and
\nrashly, on his own citizens thereby making them a laughing stock before the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
Election is indeed a humbler!<\/p>\n
Days to the election, and within a space of one week, Buhari addressed the
\nnation twice and used the word \u201chumbly\u201d in asking them for their votes.
\nThese are the same people he had unleashed the military on under the guise
\nof operations named after carnivorous animals, which also leave behind them
\ntales of sorrow, tears and blood. The same Nigerians he had unleashed the
\nsecurity agencies on for daring to ask him questions as their leader,
\ncriticize his non-existent policies that have led to millions losing their
\njobs, thousands murdered either by herdsmen or security forces, as was the
\ncase with the Shiite Muslims in Zaria, without justice for the victims;
\nthousands others displaced by those the federal government once said came
\nfrom Libya etc; the same Nigerians whose relatives have been summarily
\narrested and detained for days, weeks, months and even years without trial,
\nand in some cases, in flagrant disobedience of court orders granting them
\nbail, it is the same Nigerians Buhari is now begging to vote for him again.<\/p>\n
The same Buhari who once chided the Shiites for daring to tap the chest of
\nGenerals which allegedly led to the murderous military clampdown on the
\nShiites, was the same man, who after being pelted with stones in the sad
\nand unfortunate Ogun saga said, \u201cI don\u2019t have any trouble with it. It is
\nyour right\u201d. Indeed, election is a humbler!<\/p>\n
Seeing that no amount of begging or election-instigated humility would sway
\nNigerians, frustration set in for Buhari and his handlers, and in
\nconfusion, are now harassing and attempting to intimidate Atiku and his
\nsupporters by waging a frontal war against the PDP candidate directly even
\nif by proxy.<\/p>\n
But then, it is too late. Nigerians have since made up their minds and are
\nsaying \u201cEnough is enough!\u201d rather than boost his image, the politically
\nmotivated arrest of Osagie is making the matter worse for the APC. They
\ntried it against Saraki, but failed. They tried it against Ekweremadu, they
\nfailed! They tried it against Dino Melaye, but also failed. They tried it
\nagainst the legislature as an institution, they failed! They tried it
\nagainst the judiciary, they also failed. They have tried it against Atiku
\nbefore with the US challenge, they failed abysmally. Now, they are trying
\nAtiku again! The good news to Buhari and his agents is that they will fail
\nagain!<\/p>\n
No matter what they do now, whether by persuasion or coercion, Nigerians
\nare tired of this hardship in the land and my part of the country, the
\nnorth, is even worst hit by it. So, rather than retire in more damning
\ninfamy, President Muhammadu Buhari should actually retrace his steps from
\nthis whimsical and capricious political bellicosity of his, stop
\nintimidating the people, and prepare for a peaceful retirement.<\/p>\n
With the minds of Nigerians already made up, the illegal arrest and
\ndetention of Atku\u2019s lawyer, Uyi Giwa-Osagie, is nothing but the last kick
\nof a dying horse!<\/p>\n
*— Ishaq Murtala sent this piece from Kano*<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
*By Ishaq Murtala* The recent arrest and subsequent detention of Mr Uyi Giwa-Osagie, lawyer to the leading opposition PDP candidate in the rescheduled 2019 Presidential election of Saturday, February 23,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n