Unic Press UK: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has threatened legal action over the recent Executive Order declaring emergency on corruption, which Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari signed Thursday.
In a statement yesterday, the 6 July 2018, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said:
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongly condemns as illegal, unconstitutional, reprehensible and a dangerous step towards a descent to fascism, the asset seizure Executive Order imposed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in total disregard to the provisions of 1999 Constitution. PDP takes this Executive Order 6 of 2018 as a re-enactment of the obnoxious Decree 2 of 1984, which incidentally was also an enactment under then military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buahri, and this must not be permitted in our current democratic dispensation. Already, our lawyers are considering a legal action against the Federal Government on the illegality of Mr President’s action in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.”
We strongly condemn the asset seizure Executive Order N0 6, imposed by @MBuhari on Thursday July 5, 2018. The Order is illegal and unconstitutional. It is reprehensible, dangerous and a descent to fascism,The Order is in total disregard to the provisions of 1999 constitution. pic.twitter.com/2cZr5RXTYh
— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) July 6, 2018
It was on Thursday, the 5th July 2018, that Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari signed an Executive Order declaring emergency on corruption, calling on agencies, individuals, corporate bodies and institutions to tackle the scourge otherwise the country’s situation will worsen.
“Whilst there are many reasons why Nigeria has been struggling; regrettably, the most unfortunate cause of great disparity between Nigeria’s wealth and its poverty is endemic corruption. It is in consequence of this that I have decided to issue the Executive Order No. 6 of 2018 to inter alia restrict dealings in suspicious assets subject to investigation or inquiry bordering on corruption in order to preserve such assets from dissipation, and to deprive alleged criminals of the proceeds of their illicit activities which can otherwise be employed to allure, pervert and/or intimidate the investigative and judicial processes”, the president said.
Based on the Corruption Perception Index 2017 of the Transparency International, Nigeria scored 27%, which is, very bad; and ranked 148 in a list of 180 countries.
