Ministers who served in the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan have described the arrest of a former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, as the height of despotism.
The former political office holders are operating as PDP Ex-Ministers Forum.
The police had arrested and arraigned Lamido over allegations of incitement.
Lamido had on a television programme told members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Jigawa State to ensure that they do not allow the rigging of the local government election in Jigawa State.
On the day of his arraignment, Lamido was ordered remanded in Dutse Prison.
He was on Thursday granted bail.
But the ministers in the regime of Jonathan, which was elected on the platform of the PDP, said the arrest of Lamido was a display of executive recklessness.
In the statement signed by Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman, the Ministers said: “The recent arrest, arraignment and continuous detention of former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state, is an utter display of executive recklessness, intimidation and brazen violation of fundamental human rights by the Nigeria Police.
“We, the PDP ex-Ministers feel saddened by the kind of lawlessness, persecution and ceaseless intimidation of our members by the current APC government on trump up charges and phantom allegations that are unknown to any extant existing Law of the land.
“The Inspector General of Police, Idris K. Ibrahim, acting for the Muhammadu Buhari-led government, should be bold enough to tell Nigerians how inciting was Lamido’s statement and the extent to which it constitutes threat to National Security.
“No doubt, Lamido’s current travail marks the beginning of second phase of rudeness maltreatment of opposition, especially members of the PDP. We however condemn in totality this heinous act of tyranny and despotism by the current government.
“We equally urge the IGP to release Sule Lamido and withdraw any charges they might have been levied against him, in the interest of peace, justice and sustainability of our hard-earned democracy.
“We should no longer take this country for granted, as nobody, not even the law enforcement agencies have the monopoly of coercion. The earlier we allow the supremacy of law to take precedent over the rule of brute force, the better.”
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