Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said that the police summon to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, Ademola Adeleke is a worrisome development and a sign that the country is sliding into fascism.
Mr. Abubakar said this on Wednesday in a press release, noting that it was unfortunate that Mr. Adeleke was being trailed by the police when federal agencies aided Nigeria’s former finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, to depart Nigeria over the weekend despite having admitted to criminal forgery of her youth service scheme certificate.
He also indirectly bashed President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it was ironic that the police were after the PDP governorship candidate even after WAEC, had certified his certificate as genuine – unlike Mr Buhari who hired over a dozen senior lawyers to defend him in court rather than clarify issues around his school certificate.
The police had on Wednesday summoned Adeleke three days to the Osun State gubernatorial election in which he is one of the candidates, accusing him of examination malpractices.
The move by the police was widely condemned, especially by the PDP.
Mr. Abubakar, a PDP presidential aspirant, was among those who voiced out their alarm over what was seen by many as an attempt by the Nigeria Police to influence the outcome of the Osun governorship race.
Abubakar said, “Let it be on record that I completely condemn this act, which comes less than a week to the elections in which Senator Adeleke is a major participant and front-runner,” Mr Abubakar said. “I warn both Nigerians and the international community that democracy is on trial in Nigeria. Senator Adeleke is being victimised and we call on all lovers of democracy to stand up to resist this fascist attempt to steal an electio.
“It is obvious that these are politically motivated charges to hamstring the expected victory of the PDP’s candidate. Coming so soon after the surreptitious payments of ₦16.7 billion so-called Paris Club refund to the incumbent All Progressives Congress administration in Osun State, which was condemned by the generality of Nigerian Governors from both the APC and the PDP, it reflects desperation on the part of the Buhari administration.
“Ironically, certificate forgery or absence of certificates, go all the way to the top in the APC led federal government,” Mr Abubakar said. “Unlike some people who have hired thirteen Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Senator Adeleke has been able to get the West African Examination Council to certify today that he indeed sat for his school leaving certificate in 1981.”
“On the contrary, Senator Adeleke has no proven case of forgery or fraud against him. Why then has the police waited till now to declare Senator Adeleke wanted, just three days to the election?
“This by itself should stop the police from their malicious prosecution of Adeleke if the rule of law were guiding this administration.
“Nigerians were witness to the fact that a minister admitted, after being exposed, to forging her certificate. This minister was escorted to the airport and allowed to board a flight to London to escape the long hand of the law.”
Meanwhile, in a rare move that gladdened many Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari waded into the matter, ordering the Inspector General of the Police to suspend the investigation of the certificate forgery allegation against Mr. Adeleke until after Saturday’s election.
However, it is still believed in many quarters that enough damage had already been done.
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