ABUJA- THE National leadership of
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP
yesterday alleged that the Action
Congress of Nigeria, ACN was
supporting the activities of members of Boko Haram that have
engaged in massive killing and
wanton destruction of property in
the country. In a statement yesterday by PDP
National Publicity Secretary, Chief
Olisa Metuh, the party noted that
for ACN to criticise the Federal
government’s order to proscribe
all terrorist groups in the country, the opposition party never liked
the country. According to PDP, the ACN was
out to use the press as a
subterfuge to hide its support for
insurgents as well as whittle the
current efforts by the Federal
Government to end acts of terrorism in the country. The PDP however reinstated its
support for President Goodluck
Jonathan for the move, adding
that contrary to claims by the
ACN, no part of the Presidential
Order proscribing terrorists groups, directly or indirectly
violated any provision of the
constitution or impinged on the
freedom of the press in the
country. Metuh who described the allegation
by the ACN that the order was
aimed at gagging the press as
despicable and a clear indication of
how far the opposition party can
go to distort facts to support violence and cause disaffection
among Nigerians, said, “Our
attention has been drawn to a
statement sponsored by
opposition Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN) in which, in its usual homage to falsehood, deceit and
distortion of facts, tried to
suggest that the recent order by
President Goodluck Jonathan
proscribing groups engaged in acts
of terrorism violates the constitution and aimed at stifling
the press. “This deliberate distortion of
facts clearly betrays ACN’s
support for such groups as well as
the heinous attempt to whittle
efforts by the Federal Government
and well-meaning Nigerians to end insurgency in the country. “For the avoidance of doubt, no
section of the order stifled the
press; violated or seeks to violate
any provision of the constitution.
Instead the order reinforced the
provisions of the constitution guaranteeing the security and
welfare of all Nigerians. “Section 5 (1), of the order which
the ACN is kicking against
prescribes a term of imprisonment
of not less than 20 years ”for any
person who knowingly, in any
manner, directly or indirectly, solicits or renders support for the
commission of an act of terrorism
or to a terrorist group”. “The ACN is feverish because the
order defined “support” to include
”incitement to commit a terrorist
act through the Internet, or any
electronic means or through the
use of printed materials or through the dissemination of terrorist
information”. “By all indications, it is clear that
neither this section nor any other
section of the order for that
matter, infringed on the rights of
Nigerians and the freedom of the
media as guaranteed by the constitution. Rather the section
clearly seeks to stop incitements
to commit a terrorist acts”. “In trying to distort the facts, the
ACN sought to weaken the fight
against insurgency, but ended up
betraying its support for acts of
terrorism and Nigerians have
taken note.’’ According to PDP, it was solidly
behind President Goodluck
Jonathan in what it termed, his
untiring efforts to ensure an end
to acts of terrorism in the
country. It commended the President for the Order which it
described as a welcome
development adding that “those
who have nothing to hide need not
be afraid”. The party therefore urged
Nigerians to continue to go about
their legitimate businesses as well
as note the activities and
interests of parties such as the
ACN.