Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), on Tuesday, said that the alarm raised by the Department of State Services (DSS) on alleged planned violent protest in the country was ill-conceived and politically motivated.
The Coalition expressed this position at a Press Conference in Abuja, saying that the alarm raised by secret police had shown that the judgement of Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) had been leaked to the Executive.
Prince Rwang Pam Junior, who spoke on behalf of the group, wondered how a peaceful protest could be suppressed by security agencies, despite Constitutional provision and International Human Rights Law for protest.
Pam, who is the Representative of the group Media Team, expressed concerns that the alarm by thee DSS appeared to confirm information leakage on the pending PEPT judgement, and the possibility of a verdict of dismissal based on technicality rather than justice based on constitutional merit.
His words, “The alarm raised yesterday, September 4, 2023, by Nigeria’s Spy Police, DSS, over “plans by some persons or groups to stage violent protest regarding the long-awaited judgment of the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal”, scheduled for Wednesday, September 6, 2023, appears to confirm information leakage and the possibility of a verdict of dismissal based on technicality rather than justice based on constitutional merit.
“By raising this alarm, the security agents appear to confirm having prior knowledge of the verdict yet to be delivered to Nigerians. Plausibly, a member of the Judiciary may have leaked the PEPT Panel’s verdict to the Executive Arm of the current Government of Nigeria.
“In this case, the government along with its internal and external security agents have proven themselves illiterate in the handling of this privileged information by using it to inflict further psychological damage to the psyche of the already broken populace. We believe, therefore, that the DSS alarm is ill-conceived and politically motivated thereby raising doubts about the integrity and independence of the Five Tribunal Justices and the credibility of their long-awaited Judgment.
“As the international community is aware, the social contract theory underscores the undisputed facts that government exists for the people and derives its authority from the people to act on their behalf primarily for their security and wellbeing.
“Nigerians’ rights to protest are safeguarded under sections 38, 39, 40, and 41 of the Constitution. “It is a fundamental human right of the people to voice out their displeasures, disappointments, and frustrations.”
“In accordance with international standards and best practices as recognized under International Law, the international community must hold the current government of Nigeria accountable for the killing or brutalisation of peaceful protesters. Security agencies should not prevent citizens from exercising their right to protest.
“Articles 18, 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Right, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right and the UN Human Rights Council’s Resolution at its 38th Session on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the context of Peaceful Protests are quite apposite.”
The Department of State Services had on Monday, raised the alarm about plans by some unnamed politicians to instigate violent protests in parts of the country, in order to discredit the Federal Government and security agencies.
The intelligence agency said that those being mobilised by those it described as subversive elements for the planned action includes student leaders, ethnic-based associations, youth and disgruntled groups.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Dr. Peter Afunanya, the Secret Service vowed to deploy all within its power to stop the plotters from plunging the country into anarchy, advising
Vice Chancellors, as well as other heads of tertiary institutions in the country, to discourage their students from engaging in tendencies detrimental to peace and security.
