PDP Fears Dino Melaye May Be Assassinated, Says Buhari Turning Nigeria Into Police State

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of gradually turning Nigeria into a police state with the continued lockdown on the residence of Senator Dino Melaye by the police.

Speaking in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, the PDP raised concern that the life of Senator Melaye may be in danger due to his constant criticism of the current administration.

The party frowned at the alleged situation “where those opposed to President Buhari’s re-election are treated like enemies of the state.”

The PDP said, “The continued siege (on Melaye’s residence), which has been widely condemned as unwarranted and provocative, shows that the police under President Buhari, has become an instrument of oppression to subjugate dissenting voices ahead of the 2019 general election.

According to the opposition party, “the only sin committed by its Presidential Campaign Director of Civil Societies, Senator Melaye, is his return to the PDP and his forthright stand against the misrule of the Buhari administration, which are all well within his rights as a citizen.

“Since Senator Melaye, left the APC, the Buhari administration has continued to hound and harass him, as well as the members of his family with trumped up charges, all aimed to silence and put him out of circulation ahead of the 2019 general election.

“The PDP has become extremely worried about the safety of Senator Melaye and his family members under police lockdown and charges Nigerians to hold President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible should any harm befall him or any member of his family.

“This is particularly against the background of Senator Melaye’s outcry that the police planned to arrest and inject him with poisonous substance.

“The PDP hopes that opposition figures such as Senator Melaye will not suddenly become victims of ‘accidental discharge’, unexplained assassinations or mysterious motor accidents as move on to the general elections.”