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I regret calling for state of
emergency in Plateau, says Wada Nas
By Sukuji
Bakoji
Bureau
Chief,
Kaduna
Former
Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Wada Nas, who was among the first
people to call on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency
in Plateau State, has said he now regrets his action, because of the
apparent double standard displayed by the President, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo in Rivers State.
In a
statement at the weekend in Kaduna, the former minister confessed that he
was one of those who called for the declaration of state of emergency in
Plateau State in good faith and with the believe that it would set a
precedence, adding that he thought it would be done without malice and
discrimination by the president.
According
to Nas, who is also the national chairman of the Peoples Salvation Party
(PSP) and chieftain of Nigerians United for Democracy (NUD), it has now
dawned on him that the Federal Government had ulterior motive in declaring
state of emergency in Plateau State, afterall.
Said he:
"For the avoidance of doubt, I am among those who initially called for a
State of Emergency in Plateau State, in the full believe that it will be
done without malice and without discrimination. Having noticed
developments, over time, however, it saddens me that this administration
plays double standards in the manner it conducts and handles situations in
the country.
"Recently,
I drew public attention to this and wish to state that if it was right to
invite the leaders of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force or NDFVF for
dialogue, why hasn't a similar gesture been extended to leaders of MASSOB?
Why were OPC leaders, supported by leaders of Afenifere, not haunted in
the same way leaders of MASSOB and Ojukwu are being haunted? Even the
United States declared OPC a terrorist organisation. Obasanjo government
has been using discrimination, selective justice and double standard as
state policy.
"The point
here, however, is that for committing a 'minor' crime, taken
comparatively, Dariye and all the democratic institutions in his state
were severely punished and for allowing a worse crime, Governor Odili was
treated with presidential handshake, simply because he is said to be in
the good book of Aso Rock."
Therefore,
he enjoined Nigerians to rise in unison to challenge the selective justice
and double standard by the president.
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