Nigerians In Diaspora Call For Giwa-Osagie’s Release

Giwa-Osagie, is the legal counsel to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC recently. In a release, signed by Prof. Isa Odidi, Director, Diaspora Directorate, Chairman Committee of Diaspora,PDP Presidential Campaign Council, yesterday and made available by Grace Okagbare,  a member committee on Diaspora for the Atiku/Obi presidential Campaign Organisation, PCO, the group described the arrest as a brazen act of intimidation and disregard for the rule of law aimed at decimating and disenfranchising opposition political party members by the Buhari led administration. The statement reads, “ It has come to the notice of Nigerians in Diaspora that in a brazen act of intimidation and disregard for the rule of law aimed at decimating and disenfranchising opposition political party members, the Buhari administration and its state security apparatus, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, legal counsel to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar. “ This continued pattern of intimidation of members of the opposition political parties, particular those working with Atiku Abubakar, the presumed front runner and the candidate predicted by all polls both local and international to win Nigeria’s 2019 presidential election seems like a calculated attempt to stifle and manipulate the electioneering process well before the presidential elections slated for Saturday 23rd February 2019. Nigerians in Diaspora will not stand for this dastardly act, enough is enough. “We condemn the unprovoked arrest of Giwa-Osagie by the EFCC. We call on the international community in Africa, USA, Europe, UK and Asia to join us in the condemnation the Buhari administration and its security agencies and call them to order and request that Giwa-Osagie be released unconditionally with immediate effect. Failing to do so we call on the international community to consider placing a travel ban on and freezing\seizure of assets of all Nigerian government officials and their families.” they called.