Senator Shehu Sani has warned the Buhari led federal government against incessant clampdown on protesters and members of opposition parties, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV reports that Sani said such attack on protesters could lead to violence, while reminding the President that he led several protests ahead 2015 general elections.
The lawmaker, who represented Kaduna Central in the eight Senate, said those who attacked Senator Ike Ekweremadu in Germany were inspired by the way protesters and dissenters are being treated in Nigeria.
He said the federal government has the responsibility of respecting people’s right by allowing them to express their views on national issues through peaceful protest and constructive criticism.
Igbere TV reports that Senator Sani made the assertions on Saturday, August 24, during an interactive forum organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Correspondents Chapel of the FCT, Abuja.
Speaking on the event theme: “Correspondents Roundtable”, Sani said that citizens could be compelled to be violent instead of peaceful, when they are prevented from expressing their opinion through a legitimate and peaceful protest.
His words: “If you crush dissent and jail dissenters, you are forcing people to take the road of violence.
“There is no difference between the way my friend and brother (Ekweremadu) was treated in Numerberg with the way protesters were treated in Lagos and Abuja by the state apparatus.
“So the state is the main culprit in term of inspiring people to take road other than the one that is legitimate and lawful.”
Speaking on the detention of Omoyele Sowore, leader of the RevolutionNow movement, the former lawmaker said the Sahara Reporters’ publisher contributed his own quota to the emergence of the present government.
He revealed that many of those occupying position of power today in present government went to New York and met Sowore on many occasion to help them fight the former government (of Goodluck Jonathan).
“How do you turn and say the same person who spoke on justice and freedom five years ago is now the enemy.
“The enemy of president today are those who are pretending to be his friends . I have always reminded those in position of authority even before I became a senator and when I was a senator that power is temporary in the life. The life after power is longer than when in power”, Sani added.
