Reports reaching us indicates that the Peoples Democratic
Party has suspended its 2019 presidential campaign over the suspension
of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.
In a statement signed by the chairman of the party and co-chairman of
the Presidential Campaign Council, Uche Secondus, made available to this
Newspaper early Saturday Morning, the Presidential Campaign has been
suspended in protest of the suspension.
The Statement read;
“Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council has
suspended its presidential campaign in protest of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s decision to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter
Onnoghen.The PDP Campaign Council further predicated the suspension of its
campaign activities in solidarity with Nigerians in our collective
rejection of the assault against our democratic order.Describing President Buhari action as a “dangerous and brazen assault on
the constitution”, the PDP Campaign Council says in a statement issued
in Abuja on Friday night that there is no point in campaigning to
contest in an election, whose very basis has been so flagrantly
undermined.“The basis for this election is the democracy itself. When democracy
comes under this kind of virulent attack, then the election itself
becomes superfluous,” the statement said.The PDP Presidential Campaign was scheduled to be in Benue State on
Saturday. But it now said it is suspending its campaign activities for a
period of 72 hours in the first instance.“In the first instance, we are suspending our campaign for 72 hours. It
is our hope that President Buhari will listen to the voice of all lovers
of democracy the world over and restore democracy in Nigeria
immediately and without qualifications. At the moment, the President has
effectively suspended the constitution under whose basis the elections
are being contested.The action of President Buhari represents a constitutional breach and a
direct attack on our democracy. This must never be allowed to stand, as
there is no way by which democracy can survive under these autocratic
tendencies.We call on all well meaning Nigerians to rise in defence of democracy
and save our nation from this imminent slide into tyranny.”
