The thirteen governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have decried the repeated harassment of its members by the Department of State Services (DSS), stressing that it is threatening the functions of an opposition in the country’s democracy.
Speaking via a communique issued after a meeting of the governors in Abuja on Wednesday, August 19, 2015, the Chairman of the PDP governors’ forum, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State lampooned the DSS for meddling with the election tribunals, especially those involving Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Abia States.
The communique read: “The forum condemns in very strong terms the alleged worrisome meddlesomeness of the Department of State Services in Election Tribunal matters especially in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Abia states.
“It is against the spirit, ethos, values and fundamental tenets of democratic norms and tradition; more so with the existence of the Electoral Act and the constitution.
“The forum is worried, alarmed and shocked by this development. A situation where officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission in these three states, (all PDP states) are daily being arrested, detained and questioned on election-related offences, even when the cases are ongoing at the tribunals, spells doom and poses imminent danger to our fledgling democracy.”He said that the alleged interference was an attempt to stifle the opposition, adding that this action was most unacceptable.
“We insist that the trend be reversed. No democracy survives without a viable opposition in any part of the world.”
“Even in a clear case where money paid was traced to the bank account of a State Resident Electoral Commissioner, the DSS has yet to order investigation into the matter.”
