PDP Insists On Metuh’s Release ….Says Jalo Does Not Speak For It

Read the press statement below...
The national leadership of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) says it has not
changed its demand that the Party’s
spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh be
immediately released or charged to court
by the EFCC.
This clarification is on the instance of
strange publications in the media credited
to Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo on the arrest, by
the EFCC, of some of our leaders and
particularly our National Publicity Secretary,
Chief Olisa Metuh.
Jalo was also quoted to have spoken on behalf
of the PDP in calling on
former President Goodluck Jonathan to speak out
on the controversial
arms deal scandal.
The national leadership of the party wishes to
clarify that Jalo is not
a member of the National Working Committee and
does not have the mandate
of the party to speak on its behalf on any matter
whatsoever. Under our
constitution, only the National Chairman and the
National Publicity
Secretary or any body so designated by the
National Chairman or the
National Working Committee speaks for the party.
Jalo, clearly does not
have this mandate and could not have been
speaking for our party.
For the avoidance of doubt, the official position
of our great party
remains that our spokesman should be released
or charged to court as he
remains innocent until proven otherwise by a
court of competent
jurisdiction, in line with the provisions of our
constitution and the
laws of Nigeria.
The PDP is therefore resolute in challenging the
continued detention of
our spokesman for a week now, beyond the limits
provided by the laws in
violation of his constitutionally guaranteed rights
as a citizen. We are
solidly behind our spokesman in the demand for
the enforcement of his
rights and liberty. Our demand that he is
immediately released or charge
to court has not changed.
Chief Olisa Metuh has the right under the law to
his statement and the
onus lies on the investigating agency to charge
him to court and not to
arrogate itself the duties of the judiciary.
The PDP has expressly explained in various
statements and press
conferences that it is not in any way against
fighting corruption
provided it is done within the confines of rule of
law and respect for
the fundamental Human rights of citizens.
We also wish to reiterate our stand that President
Buhari-led Federal
Government has turned the anti- corruption fight
as a witch-hunt on PDP
leaders, with a view to decimating the party and
installing its desired
one party state in the country.
All lovers of democracy, including the
international community should
take critical look at the various breaches of this
administration and
the threat it brings to civil liberty and national
stability and rein in
this government to respect the values of
democracy.


Signed:
Barr. Victor Kwon
National Legal Adviser