12^th January, 2011

PRESS CONFERENCE             

NIGERIAN SOVEREINTY UNDER THREAT BY PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) DESPERADOS

All Patriotic Nigerians must be deeply worried and concerned about the spate of violence characterized by Killings, Assassinations, Kidnappings and wanton destruction of Property by often orchestrated by PDP chieftains against their perceive Political rivals in other  Political Parties. These attacks are targeted mainly on erstwhile PDP members who in excersize of their fundamental human rights of freedom of association sought political sanctuary in more conducive and likeminded Political Parties.

It is common occurrence these days to read about violent loss of lives even in PDP organized congresses and primaries across the country. This is bad enough, but to carry the unprovoked war to the dormain of their former members who resigned from their parties for reasons of undemocratic conduct smacks of “do or die” desperation in power struggle.

Events are beginning to point to the fact that the proliferation of leathal weapons in the country must have been pre-planned and pre-designed by

these political war mongers in elective and public offices in order to force themselves back to office irrespective of the expression of Nigerian voters through the ballot box.

The Labour Party is deeply concerned about the near helplessness of President Goodluck Jonathan in this disturbing scenario. The impression must not be given that as Commander In Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nation’s number one security officer that he lacks the courage, Capacity and sagacity to call his rampaging Party stalwarts and members to order. It appears the security agencies have gone to sleep as a result of the complacency of Mr. President.

There are too many instances to be listed and too many deaths of innocent Nigerians to be recounted but the one that has sent the most dangerous signal is the recent attack on Chief Timi Alaibe in his country home residence in  Opokuma, Bayelsa State where the casualty rate is high. This attack occurred not long after chief Alaibe and his teeming supporters joined the Labour Party to pursue their Political aspiration in Bayelsa State.

Chief Alaibe committed no offence whatsoever under the laws of Nigeria and international conventions on Human Rights in which Nigeria is signatory. To resign from a Political Party for reasons of incompatibility or any reason whatsoever is within his right. So also is his right to join a political Party of his choice. It is primitive and act of cowardice for any person who may feel intimidated by chief Alaibe’s popularity and profile to resort to sponsoring such gruesome attack on a political rival.

It is provocative that the same man whose supporters have been massacred in cold blood in his private house is about to be framed up by a phantom and orchestrated Judicial Commission of Inquiry whose brief is clearly to indict Chief Timi Alaibe and lock him away to make his participation in the forthcoming election in Bayelsa State impossible.  A group of destitute

politicians parading as members of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) have been procured to kick start the call for the indictment of Chief Timi Alaibe who is still mourning the loss of his supporters.

-       No judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up in the state when the House of the former Deputy Governor of the State was bombed.

-        No Judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up in the State when a former Head of State, General Mohammed Buhari was violently attacked when he went  visiting for a Political rally.

-        No Judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up in the State when Chief Francis Doukpola, PDP Governorship Candidate’s Campaign office in Yenogoa was dynamited.

-        No Judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up in the State when two bombs exploded at the declaration rally of another PDP Governorship Aspirant - Beinmo Rufus – Spiff.

-        No Judicial Commission of inquiry was set up when Chief Timi Alaibe’s house was earlier bombed before this present incidence.

This intended act of provocation will definitely worsen the precarious security situations in Bayelsa State. We call on President Goodluck Jonathan to nip this sinister intention in the bud. Bayelsans should not be further provoked which might result to precipited reprisal response.

There are other flash points across the Country which should be of grave concern to the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Security Agencies in the Country. From Ebonyi, to Enugu and Ibadan in Oyo State etc, the Story is not different. All other Political Parties who have little or no access to security personnel have conducted their Congresses and Primaries in the best tradition of Internal Democracy with minimum rancor. It is therefore unfortunate that wherever there is report of

violence, the P.D.P is certainly always behind such violence. We are beginning to entertain the fear that the 2011 general election may witness wide spread manipulation by the PDP and  its candidates if the signals coming from the conduct of their Parties Congresses and primaries are anything to go by. We hereby call on all Nigerian Political Parties and Nigerians in general to be vigilant and be prepared to defend their sovereignty during the 2011 general election. Nigeria is bigger than any Political Party. We must therefore not surrender our inalienable rights as Nigerian citizens to desperate PDP Power Mongers.

It is our civic and Patriotic duty to guard our hard earned democracy jealously. This democracy must not be truncated especially by those who were docile while the Nigerian progressives, the organized Labour and civil Society groups paid the supreme price to restore democracy to our Country.

GOD BLESS NIGERIA.

Chief (Barr). Dan Nwanyanwu mni (Otun Atunluse of Ondo Kingdom)

National Chairman

Alhaji A.A. Salam (Baraden Paiko)

     National Secretary

cc:  Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

      President, Federal Republic of Nigeria 

cc. The National Security Adviser

cc: DG. State Security Service

cc: DG. NIA

cc: The Inspector General of Police

cc: Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

cc: All Registered Political Parties in Nigeria.