Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the police and the Federal Government for breaching constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens who share contrary political views by assaulting their rights to freedom of association and assembly.
Reacting to the incident in Abuja weekend where the G-7 members of the PDP were prevented from meeting at the Sokoto Government Lodge, the former Vice President regretted that the assault on the freedom of association and assembly is rapidly pushing Nigeria into an authoritarian state with impunity.
According to him, the democratic liberties of citizens are more important than individual political ambitions.
He deplored the incessant harassment and humiliation of political opponents insisting that it is indefensible.
The former Vice President maintained that freedom of association and assembly are constitutional guarantees, which should not be violated at will by the any government.
The Turaki Adamawa argued that these constitutional guarantees are superior to party politics.
“I am alarmed at the level of impunity with which the Police are frequently breaching the rights of Nigerian citizens to association,” the former Vice President noted.
