Opposition allege clamp down over stoppage of press conference
Members of some opposition political parties in Nigeria yesterday alleged a deliberate attempt to stifle their voices after the use of a hotel facility they secured for a press conference was disallowed. The press conference was intended to address Tuesday’s attacks on prominent opposition figures in Benin, Edo State including Peter Obi and John Odigie- […]
Members of some opposition political parties in Nigeria yesterday alleged a deliberate attempt to stifle their voices after the use of a hotel facility they secured for a press conference was disallowed.
The press conference was intended to address Tuesday’s attacks on prominent opposition figures in Benin, Edo State including Peter Obi and John Odigie- Oyegun and other issues like the arrest and continuos detention of opposition figure like former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai and former minister of justice, Abubakar Malami.
After the invitation had bee circulated yesterday, our correspondent learnt that as the opposition leaders went to the hotel to make payment, they hotel management declined accepting their money turning down their request to stage the press conference.
Our correspondent was reliably informed that at the time of filing this report, the opposition leaders had gone in search of other venues but were yet to secure one at the time of fling his report.
Reacting to the development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, said the ruling party wants to ensure that there is no opposition.
He confirmed to Daily Trust that the opposition was refused use of the hotel, adding that the APC wants all the other political parties to endorse their candidates.
He said, “It is true that the hotel denied the organizers the use of their facility, I can confirm to you, it is true. This is part of the repression that this government is turning to a culture.
“We have made something clear. What this government wants is to ensure that there is no opposition at all. It is a civilian version of what the late Abacha did when he established five political parties and they endorsed and supported him.
“He did not want any opposition party to survive and that is part of what they are doing. APC is becoming repressive. But we have moved on. We have secured another venue.”
Daily Trust recalls a similar incident when last year, a group was prevented from staging a play meant to promote the good qualities of former President Goodluck Jonathan at the time he was being lobbied to contest the 2027 presidential elections.
People had paid and had turned up to watch it only to be told that it had been replaced with another one as the organizers were warned not to go ahead with it.
The organisers declined comment on the matter, saying they are trying to resolve it.