The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the world body and other democratic institutions to query President Muhammadu Buhari on the role of his administration in the escalation of terrorism, violation of rights, electoral malpractices, corruption, national division and economic ruin of Nigeria in the last six years.
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to address the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, on Friday.
The PDP, in a statement issued Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the sanctity of human lives, freedom, respect for human rights, justice and rule of law, credible elections, democratic governance, promotion of peace, accountability in governance, economic development among others, which the General Assembly stood for had all been violated by the Buhari administration.
The party urged the General Assembly not to lose sight of the reports by credible international organizations including the US Department of State as well as Amnesty International, (AI) on cases of arbitrary arrests and detention in dehumanizing facilities, widespread extrajudicial killings, sudden disappearances of dissenting voices and disregard to rule of law under Buhari’s watch.
It said this was in addition to disobedience to court orders, use of security forces to suppress citizens, media gagging, and systemic injustices that underscored the situation in Buhari’s Nigeria, as also profiled by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The PDP urged the General Assembly to also question Buhari on the failures and alleged compromises of our nation’s security coordination under his administration, leading to unabating mass killings, kidnapping, banditry, arson and marauding of communities across our nation, to the extent that Nigeria “now ranks as the third country with the highest level of terrorism after Iran and Afghanistan”.
It further called upon the General Assembly to take on President Buhari over his administration’s alleged provision of official cover for sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria, including those recently communicated to it by the United Arab Emirate (UAE) as well as a serving minister who was openly indicted as an apologist of terrorism.
The party also urged the General Assembly to use the opportunity to extract commitment from President Buhari on the amendment of the Electoral Act to enable for electronic transmission of results as well as impress it on him to allow for free, fair and credible elections in 2023.
