Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday condemned the invasion of his party’s data centre in Lagos by security operatives.
The condemnation was contained in a statement in which the former military Head of State accused President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of desperately violating the Nigerian Constitution.
Buhari’s statement is produced below:
Almost every day, the Jonathan Presidency seems intent on demonstrating for all to see that they have mastered the art of how to push a nation into chaos within the shortest time possible. The early morning attack by security operatives on the APC data centre in Lagos on Saturday November 22nd is one such display in a growing chain of abuse and violation of the constitution and political rights of the people. It is a reckless act that must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
The APC Data Centre housed internal party membership information and also was an important vehicle to disseminate information to APC members. Yet, for conducting functions necessary and proper for a political party operating within the democratic context, the Centre became a hated target of the Jonathan government and the PDP.
The Jonathan government cannot claim ignorance. The security operatives conducting this illegal raid must have been ordered from Abuja. They would not have done what they did unless given the mandate from their high bosses in Abuja. Attempting to defend the indefensible, they fabricate a story that the attack was necessary because criminal activity was taking place at the Centre. These statements are such plain lies.
These acts are but a foretaste of things to come. From these attacks, this government is signalling to the Nigerian people they have no intention of holding anything resembling free and fair elections. Their goal is not to create a level electoral playing field. Their goal is to level the opposition into the dust through the abuse of federal power.
The desperation of the PDP grows by the hour. Afraid they may be swept from office by the results of a free election fairly conducted, they will go to any lengths to hold on to office.
We are swiftly approaching a telling moment in our history. The crumbling PDP government is trying its utmost to stop the irresistible force of the people’s desire for progressive change that will establish peace and security as well as bring widely-shared prosperity for all. The PDP knows the APC is the vehicle to bring this change; thus the PDP is doing all it can to damage that vehicle. The APC is an idea whose time has come because we are committed to govern Nigeria as if it were a great nation and not to destroy it as if it were a conquered country.
Nigerians are watching. The APC, for one, will seek free and fair elections. Nothing more, nothing less. The APC will also abide the results of such elections. However, we will not stand idly and watch this government dismantle even the small, incomplete fragments of democracy this nation has struggled so hard and long to build. To allow this demolition will be more than a tragedy for the APC. It will separate the nation from its future greatness. We shall use all legal and constitutional means – from the courts, to the press, to protests – to alert the people and world to the shadow this government seeks to cast over the nation, and we shall use these same means to disperse that shadow so that free and fair elections can be had.
