Corruption: PDP may sue FG over asset seizure executive order

Published July 7, 2018

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan

O

The Peoples Democratic Party has said its lawyers were considering taking a legal action against the Federal Government over the asset seizure executive order which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Thursday.

The party described the executive order as illegal, unconstitutional, reprehensible and a dangerous step towards a descent to fascism.

A statement issued in Abuja on Friday and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the President was breaching the law with the order.

“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,” it said.

It said that the order was in total disregard for the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The party said the Nigerian Constitution does not, under any section, confer what it described as “fascist powers” on the President and that there can be no legitimate latitude of interpretation placed on sections 5 and 15 (5) of the 1999 Constitution cited as justifications for the executive order, that can excuse it.

It said, “Therefore, President Buhari’s unilateral executive order is a travesty of justice and rule of law, as it vehemently seeks to hijack and usurp the powers of both the legislature and the courts and vest it on himself, so that he can use same at will, as a political instrument, to haunt, traumatise, harass and victimise perceived political opponents.

“In order words, Mr. President wants to change our democratic governance to a military regime, in line with his lamentation, two days ago, that the fight against corruption would be better under a military regime than under a democracy.”

•