Akwa Ibom Invasion: DSS violates Government House Immunity – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will no longer stomach the
continued unlawful use of state apparatus of power by the APC-led
Federal Government to harass its elected officials at any level across
the country.
The party said the APC-led government, last Friday crossed the line in
unleashing the Department of State Services (DSS), now under the
direct command of its member, Alhaji Lawal Daura, to invade and occupy
the Akwa-Ibom State Government House, Uyo, in violation of the
constitutional immunity of the government house.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on
Sunday, cautioned that the invasion and other flagrant abuse of power
by the APC-led Federal Government are clear recipes for constitutional
crisis, civil unrest and avoidable anarchy in the land and called on
Nigerians and the international community to take copious note of
this.
The party said its investigations have shown that the DSS acted on the
express orders from the APC Presidency, which has been in desperate
bid to destabilize and forcefully take over Akwa-Ibom and other PDP
states.
“We have information that the DSS, acting on the instructions of the
Presidency, occupied Akwa-Ibom State Government House, ransacking
guest houses for no just cause.
“If such terror can be unleashed on a state government, one can only
imagine the fate of regular citizens in the hands of this
administration that has continued to show unparalleled disdain for
constitutional order, with heinous penchant for oppression.
“We have also been made aware of plans by the APC government to stage
similar invasions and unlawful assaults on other PDP states, including
Rivers, Delta, Abia and Taraba, where electoral officers are already
being hounded and harassed by the DSS, who are also directly
interfering in the activities of the election tribunals, in
furtherance of APC’s desperation to take over these states.
“The PDP recalls similar action by the APC controlled police, which in
July, sealed local councils in Rivers State and barred caretaker
committees lawfully appointed by the state government from taking
charge of the councils.
“We wish to restate that the PDP lost a general election and not a
war. PDP states are not occupied territories but part of the Nigerian
nation; its members are not prisoners of war, but free citizens in a
democratic state.
“We invite Nigerians and the international community to note that
never in the history of our democracy have we witnessed such a
divisive government, whose actions and constitutional violations have
so polarized the polity along its fault lines, while undermining
national unity and cohesion, a development that spells doom for our
democracy, if left unchecked.
“Finally, we wish to state categorically that as citizens of this
country, we can no longer continue to stomach such brazen attacks on
our members and elected officials. The PDP will therefore hold several
leadership and stakeholders meetings to come up with its response to
this barefaced assault on our democracy. Enough is enough!”