Atiku reports Buhari to US, UK, others

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has reported President Muhammadu Buhari to word powers, citing alleged constitutional breaches against the Nigerian President.

The letter was personally signed by him and addressed to the Ambassadors of the United States, France, Germany, the European Union (EU) and the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom.

In the letter, Atiku accused President Buhari of serially breaching the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and undermining organs and institutions of state to advance his personal interest.

The letter stated in part, “I am writing you as Nigeria’s international development partner working together to deepen and strengthen our democracy as well as to help in the transformation of our economies and societies for the better.

“As a presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections that will be conducted and supervised by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, I feel the urgent need to share with you some of these key violations of the provisions of our constitution and to demand that you pile pressure on the Federal Government to desist from these violations and ensure a level playing field for the general elections that are only a couple of weeks away.

“We acknowledge with profound appreciation the positions taken by some members of the international community in Nigeria and urge Your Excellency to add your country’s very strong voice against these breaches of Nigeria’s constitution. Your Voice is very important to the survival of Nigeria’s democracy”.

According to Atiku, some of the constitutional breaches allegedly committed by the President, president, was the recent suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen and his replacement by Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.

“For the records, Justice Walter Onnoghen is the head of one of the tripartite but mutually independent organs that form the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“To attempt to muscle out the Chief Justice of Nigeria using phony charges at a time when His Lordship was primed to play a central role in the fast approaching nationwide electoral process represents the boldest steps in the march to undermine our democracy.

“This is undoubtedly an anti-democratic act which my political party and I reject without reservation and for which I urge Your Excellency to condemn unequivocally”, Atiku stated.

The PDP presidential candidate expressed the fears that the alleged unlawful suspension of Justice Onnoghen might affact the outcome of the 2019 presidential election.

Read Also:

He also accused President Buhari of illegal purchase of Tucano Aircrafts for the Nigerian military.

Read Also: Ohanaeze goofs by endorsing Atiku, says Kalu

The presidential candidate said the aircraft, valued at $496 million, were bought without seeking prior approval of the National Assembly contrary to Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He also accused the Nigerian President’s further serial disregard for court orders, citing the cases of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

The former Nigerian Vice President stated that various courts had granted Col. Dasuki bail on at least six different occasions, including the ECOWAS Court but that the Buhari led government has persistently refused to comply with the said court orders.

“Sheikh El-Zakzaky has been in detention without trial for over three years after his followers were massacred in broad daylight; his wife and family killed and his home burnt, in a gory and shameful show of brute force by the Nigerian Army. This particular state violence is nothing short of genocide”.

He added that an Abuja High Court has ordered for his release since December 2, 2016, but which the President has continued to disregard.

Atiku cited similar infractions allegedly committed by the President Buhari, including his approval of $1 billion for military expenditure without approval of the National Assembly, as well the enactment of Executive Order No. 006 (Preservation of Suspicious Assets and Related Schedules).

He stated, “The enactment of the controversial Executive Order No. 006 as an executive legislation which permits security agencies to freeze the assets of persons standing trial or undergoing investigation without recourse to court orders.

“This is a usurpation of legislative and judicial powers of the National Assembly and the judiciary as enshrined respectively under sections 4 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and reminiscent of the military era of decrees.

“The above, and many more that did not make it into this very short letter, are the unfortunate actions of the government of a man who merely pays lip service to being a reformed democrat.

“General elections are upon us yet again. I urge you to partner with Nigerians to defend our constitution and play an active role in building our country.

“The choice facing all of us is either to stand aside and watch Nigerians reelect a President who has been in constant violation of the laws of the land without remorse; or to support them show him the way out and elect a true democrat. We must send a clear message that the Nigerian Nation is bigger than any individual.

“Even if Nigerians opted not to elect me as president, the incumbent must go into the polls on his own record of lack of respect for the rule of law and not on the spurious perception of his ‘Integrity’. We need to set precedence for successive leaders not to take democratic mandate for granted”.