Atiku instigated Sowore, others APC alleges – TheNigerialawyer

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that former
Vice-President and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential
candidate in the last general elections, Atiku Abubakar, was behind
the recent #RevolutionNow protest to express discontent against the
policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of an online medium, Sahara
Reporters and presidential candidate of African Action Congress
(AAC), in the last general elections, was picked up last weekend by
the Department of State Services (DSS) last week, having been
fingered as the mastermind of the planned protest.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted permission
to detain Sowore for 45 days.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, ruling on an ex parte application by the
State Security Service, whose operatives arrested Sowore last
Saturday, held that the detention order would be renewable after
the expiration of first 45 days on September 21.

The APC in a statement signed by its national publicity
secretary, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, described Atiku Abubakar as a
sore leader and “the patron and cheerleader of the unpatriotic
elements who would rather bring our country down for being rejected
at the polls.”

The APC said the detention of Sowore was legitimate since it was
procured through a court process and urged Nigerians to disregard
what it called the skewed narratives and sentiments being
propagated by certain individuals.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) calls on Nigerians to
reject the toxic messages and criminal antics of some individuals
and partisans who have embarked on a campaign of calumny against
the government and are calling for a forceful takeover of
government. They are cowards and enemies of Nigeria.

“The recent arrest of Mr Omoyele Sowore by the Department of
State Services (DSS) must be seen for what it is – a legal and
timely action by our security services to protect our democracy and
protect the country and its citizens against any action that
threatens our collective peace and safety.

“Predictably, some desperate individuals, sore losers, and their
sympathisers are acting in vain trying to pull a wool over the eyes
of Nigerians. Of course, the disgruntled presidential candidate of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alh. Atiku Abubakar is
expectedly the patron and cheerleader of the unpatriotic elements
who would rather bring our country down for being rejected at the
polls.

“The desperate attempt to politicise a legitimate action by the
security agencies and futile effort to spread falsehood to create
chaos in the country is clearly irresponsible actions. We call on
Nigerians to look at the issue of Sowore’s arrest dispassionately
devoid of the skewed narratives and sentiments being propagated by
these individuals.”

The statement further argued that Sowore and those who
emboldened him to call for a revolution have lost in a legitimate
process to unseat a sitting government and were bent on
destabilising the country.

“Sowore arrived in the country recently and openly threatened a
revolution against a constitutionally recognised and legitimate
government. Should the DSS and other security services have
dismissed the declaration and the underlying implications as a
non-issue? No intelligence/security agency worth its calling take
issues like this with levity.

“From elections to governance and general conduct, President
Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has demonstrated its adherence
and defence of the rule of law over politics and sundry
interests.

“Again, on the safety of Nigerians, the current government has
been decisive in addressing any action that threatens the country’s
unity, peace and our democracy. Sowore’s arrest is another
testament to our unshaken resolve in this regard.

“The right to a civil protest is a given, however, it should not
be construed to mean the same thing as a revolution to forcibly
take over the government. This makes it necessary to put the act of
a revolution in context, at least by the proclamation made by
Sowore and his co-travellers. Revolution means to forcibly
overthrow a government through rebellion, revolt, insurrection,
mutiny, uprising, insurgency, coup.

“Nigeria is not a banana republic, we are a country with a
democratically-elected government, governed by laws. Our laws are
clear on Sowore’s actions. It is treason. No one should be allowed
to get away with any attempt to destabilize this country.

“We must remind ourselves that the same Sowore who attempts to
lead a revolution had a legal opportunity during the 2019
Presidential election as a candidate to sell his governance ideas,
if any, to the electorate. He failed woefully in that attempt,
coming a distant sixth with 33,953 votes compared to the winner,
President Muhammadu Buhari, who polled over 15 million votes.

“Sowore and some of his co-losers have now resorted to an
illegal and misguided plot to destabilise the country. Their plan
is dead on arrival.

“We reiterate that our laws are clear on all criminalities and
Nigerians expect that the enforcement of relevant laws should apply
to every Nigerian, irrespective of class and status. This
government would not be found wanting where it is required to take
decisive actions.

“Finally, the effects of instability being championed by these
cowards and enemies of Nigeria is disastrous. The same proponents
of a forceful takeover will be the first to flee the country with
their loved ones while the ordinary Nigerian suffers the disastrous
consequences. Nigerians beware.”

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