Sowore – Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, has described the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja granting permission to the Department of State Services to further detain activist and convener of RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, for 45 days as bad news for ‘genuine’ democracy.
The legal practitioner, in a statement on Thursday, revealed that that the ex-parte application was made and granted in the absence Sowore, who is the defendant.
The legal practitioner, in statement on Thursday, revealed that that the ex-parte application was made and granted in the absence Sowore, who is the defendant.
Ozekhome accused the government of being mischievous for deliberately reading meaning to the word ‘revolution’ rather than figuratively.
The statement said, “Didn’t Nigerians understand this to mean a peaceful change of government through the ballot box?
“Why are we suddenly stretching it? Didn’t the All Progressives Congress leadership literally shut down Nigeria in January 2012 during massive protests against the attempt by the then Goodluck Jonathan administration to remove the so called oil subsidy?
“Didn’t this government later hike the pump price of petrol from N97 to N145 per litre that it is now? So much for duplicity and double standards.
Speaking further, the legal luminary pointed that there was nothing democratic about the present government with the dictatorial posture to dissenting voices.
He added, “It is a complete farce and total ruse. God help Nigeria, even as the people get set to gird their loins for tougher days ahead.
“Nigerians should protest and demonstrate peacefully on the streets against the harsh and anti-people policies of this government.
“Not to do so, is to cheaply capitulate to coercive intimidation and abdication of their sovereignty to their very elected and selected agents in government.”
Source – http://saharareporters.com
