The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the Spokesman for the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere.
According to the Igbo youth leaders, there has been impunity against the people of the South East and this must stop.
COSEYL which is the umbrella body of all the youth organizations in the South-East zone said it condemned in strong terms the unlawful arrest of the CUPP mouthpiece.
Ugochinyere was arrested by the Nigerian Police Force in Abuja last week, and COSEYL described the development as a show of shame and rascality and totally unacceptable.
“It is a travesty of the law for the police to arrest Ugochinyere over a matter that is in court and for which the court had directly and in clear terms restrained the police from arresting or detaining him in any manner. These acts of tyranny and dictatorship are inimical to our democratic order,” the statement added.
“The arrest of Ikenga is an affront on the judiciary and on our hard-earned democracy and a total disregard to his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution as amended and as also enshrined in the United Nations charter on human rights.
“Under a democratic government, citizens have full constitutional rights and privilege to air their views and opinions on any issue concerning the government and Barr. Ikenga has not violated any law by stating the views of his group, CUPP, concerning government policies and decisions.
“Ikenga has always been the vanguard that speaks for the masses and the Nigerian people and it is not an offence in a democratic government for anyone to challenge government policies or decisions that are inimical to the people.
“The arrest of Ikenga is a plot by the government to silence dissenting voices and harass the opposition to keep quiet in the face of high profile corruption and misrule that can bring the economy of the country to his knees. ”
The Coalition recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari said worse things against the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan and even protested against his government but was never arrested.
“The government must remember that we are not in a military junta or regime. That Mr President was a former Military Head of State doesn’t mean he will govern as if we are in a military regime. He must respect the principles and doctrine of democracy which he swore an oath to protect.”
COSEYL warned that if after this press release and Ugochinyere is not freed by the police, it will mobilize two million Nigerians in a mass protest against the government.
“Enough is Enough. We will not tolerate the intimidation of the opposition. We are all Nigerians and nobody owns the country more than the other. All Nigerians have equal rights,” the Coalition said.
The CUPP’s spokesman was arrested allegedly on the orders of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Ugochinyere was arrested at his residence in Abuja in connection with the allegation of bribery made against the House of Representatives and the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
His team of lawyers claimed that the CUPP Spokesman was manhandled while being arrested by the police
The arrest happened despite an order by a Federal High Court in Abuja, on June 4, restricting the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, from arresting the opposition party’s Spokesman.
