PDP Not Against Mass Action, Says Ogbeh
Gani's NCP opts out
From Chukwudi Nwabuko in Abuja, Tokunbo Adedoja and Olawale Olaleye in Lagos
In apparent disagreement with the Federal Govern-ment, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday expressed tacit support for the planned mass action by the Coalition of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP).
CNPP which had planned the mass action to protest the irregularities in the April 2003 election, had at a press conference on Monday called for the resignation of President Olusegun Obasanjo and the constitution of an interim government as the only condition for averting its proposed mass action.
The Presidency is opposed to the mass action and last Monday threatened to treat its proponents as enemies of the state as they would heat up the polity.
PDP chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh, however, told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that it is the right of everyone in a democracy to air his views, but enjoined CNPP to do this within the law.
He said the PDP would also embark on mass action after the CNPP had finished its.
Ogbeh enjoined the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, to engage in dialogue with the opposition group, adding "we are urging the IG to speak with them; let them come and do it in an orderly manner." Balogun had also warned against the protest, saying that it is illegal.
But Ogbeh who hinged his position on the need for the opposition to air their view and 'keep us on our toes' said "as a matter of fact, we sincerely welcome a strong and viable opposition because it gives us alternative, shows us where we are going and keeps us on our toes".
He said that PDP would embark on its mass action saying "when they finish, then the PDP will also do its own mass action and send its own message. By mass action, we talk about telling the society what we are trying to do and how far we have gone".
"So we do not want them stopped. The only thing we want them to do is to keep within the rules, law and order", Ogbeh said, adding "we are not afraid of mass action'.
He condemned the muzzling of the opposition in a democracy, saying, "there should be no muzzling of the opposition in a democracy that wants to survive, that is the position of PDP. We do not muzzle, we do not wish to muzzle and that is not what the president meant".
He however cautioned the proponents of the mass action to be aware of the dangers of mobilizing a large crowd which may go out of control, and urged them to follow laid down laws by the police.
Also yesterday, Afenifere, rising from its meeting in Lagos said it was in support of the planned mass action as it was aimed at protesting the irregularities that characterised last year's general election and the March 27, 2004 local government polls.
Disclosing what transpired at the meeting to THISDAY, the Adminis-trative Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin said that the pan Yoruba socio-political organisation appraised the state of the nation and resolved that the mass action plan-ned for next month was necessary.
But the National Conscience Party (NCP), a member of the CNPP yesterday dissociated itself from the proposed mass action.
In a press statement jointly signed by its National Chairman, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and National Secretary, Comrade Femi Aborisade, NCP said it "will not be a party to unprincipled politics of some organisations that facilitated the betrayal of June 12 struggles, the murder of M.K.O. Abiola and the exclusive and undemocratic transition elections of 1999."
NCP maintained that while it appreciates the need to work in alliance with other forces, such collaborative efforts must be on democratic basis of discussion, consensus building and working out programmes and practical lines of action.
"The fact that the leadership of the CNPP could comfortably and conveniently exclude the leadership of the National Conscience Party in working out the processes leading to a purposeful mass action in this country raises serious doubts about its sincerity and commitment to a meaningful mass action", it stated.
It further maintained that "dictatorial and exclusive attitudes are not the attributes of organisations that can be relied upon to survive social and political pressures that the heat of any genuine mass action may generate".
"To us in the National Conscience Party, the AD and ANPP are equally guilty of misgovernance, corruption and violent methods of self-perpetuation in power in the states and local governments. For in stance, in the entire South West states, it was the AD government that enacted the electoral laws between 1999 and 2003 which the PDP governments are now implementing to frustrate mass participation in politics by candidates of the NCP and other parties.
"For the CNPP to now isolate the PDP for attack while accommodating the AD and the ANPP that are equally guilty of the same undemocratic and unconstitutional policies can only mean one thing -unprincipled politics", it maintained.
The party however reiterated its positions on the state of the nation which include that all the products of the 2003 elections, and January and March 27, 2004 local government election should resign or be removed from office while fresh elections should be conducted, the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to produce a draft constitution and the investigation, arrest and trial of all those who looted the nation's treasury from 1966 to date.
CNPP had scheduled the mass action for April 19, the anniversary of the 2003 election, but later changed it to May 3 following the plea of the State Security Service that the protest could jeopardise national security.
The group had even began nation-wide mobilisation.
|
