NIGERIA UNDER BUHARI FAST DESCENDING INTO AUTHORITARIANISM - EKWEREMADU

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has warned against crackdown on the opposition and disregard for the rule of law under the guise of anti-corruption war.

Mr. Ekweremadu stated this in a statement by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu, on Friday.
According to him, some prominent members of the opposition PDP, including its spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, had either been invited or detained by the security agencies over alleged corruption.
While reaffirming the support of the PDP for a genuine anti-graft crusade, the deputy senate president, however, decried a situation where such crusade becomes a calculated attempt to silence the opposition while members of the ruling party with serious corruption allegations go about their businesses.
He lamented the continued detention of Mr. Metuh and expressed fear that Nigeria was fast descending into authoritarianism.
According to him, the continued detention of the PDP spokesperson was an attempt to gag the opposition and therefore unhealthy for democracy.
“An anti-graft trap that catches only members of the opposition and those with axe to grind with the government of the day is compromised,” Mr. Ekweremadu said.

He called on the nation to denounce and resist the prevailing situation where people are held in custody against the directives of the courts and laws of the land.
The senator said there would be no justice without the rule of law.