A Civil Society Organisation, Global Network for Sustainable Development, has called on Civil Society Organisations and other youth platforms to desist from acts of public incitements, describing the calls for the arrest of Paul Enenche as tyrannical.
The National Coordinator GNSD, Phil Roberts, made the call in a statement on Friday, in Abuja.
Roberts said that such groups were hired to silence the voice of reason “and render our nation a tyrannical and dictatorial enclave.
“A society where citizens live in perpetual fear and bondage.”
“It is advised that such groups should stop further acts of public incitements against the person of Dr Paul Enenche, their actions so far are tantamount to a gross abuse of his fundamental human rights as a free citizen.
“A certain provocative and inconsequential call by a faceless self-acclaimed Civil Society group, Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) for the arrest of Dr Paul Enenche and Pastor Sarah Omakwu is such that it threatens national security .
“The fact that they make such calls especially regarding” the arrest of Dr Paul Enenche in particular, in spite of the fact that he is not the only one calling for electoral probity and justice, makes their motive questionable,” Roberts said.
According to him, other renowned clerics from both Islamic and Christian faiths drew the attention of the government to the irregularities that characterised the recent elections, yet these faceless groups are bent on calling for the crucifixion of one man.
“The conduct of these groups is antithetical to democracy and freedom of speech, they represent the worst enemy of the Nigerian nation as they are out to sabotage the efforts of both the state and the citizens in building a more tolerant, progressive and inclusive society.
“One wonders if these individuals masquerading as civil society groups understand what civil society advocacy stands for, how can you call yourself ‘civil’ while you are brazenly advocating for tyranny and dictatorship?
“How can you be advocating a civilized society, while at the same time, calling for undemocratic use of force to stifle citizens’ freedom of speech as in the constitution?,” he said.
According to him, how can you be a centre for citizens’ rights, while openly fighting to deprive them of their fundamental human rights?
“How can you address yourself as ‘civil’ while openly canvassing for illegitimate use of force by agents of the state against her citizens?
“How can you be fighting for and against citizens’ rights at the same time? This is nothing short of barefaced hypocrisy and duplicity,” it added.
He noted that the country was advancing as a civilised society and they cannot drive us backward in their brazen pursuit of filthy lucre.
“They are, therefore, advised to stop further acts of public incitements against the person of Dr Paul Enenche as their actions so far are tantamount to a gross abuse of his fundamental human right as a free citizen.
“They have no moral or legal basis to call for the arrest of a law-abiding, responsible and impactful citizen in free expression of his civic and political opinion as guaranteed by the constitution.
It therefore stated that any further incitement by such groups against the person of Paul Enenche would be taken as a deliberate and willful provocation, aggression and assault,” he said. (NAN)
