Nigeria opposition party's fears grow
1 March 2015 By Abi Giwa
Opposition's candidate, Muhammed Buhari
Today, two Nigerian newspapers, the Punch and Nigerian Sun, report that the government is plotting to incapacitate the opposition party by freezing accounts of Bola Tinubu and Rotimi Amaechi, who are top members of the opposition party and to ground an aircraft being used by the opposition party's presidential candidate, Muhammed Buhari. The newspapers' reort is based on a statement by the opposition party's candidate press secretary.
People who know say it will not be the first time the Nigerian government would ground an aircraft belonging to the opposition member, They recalled how Amaechi's Bombadier aircraft was grounded a while ago in Akure for defaulting on the country's aviation regulations. The latest fear cry from the opposition has made people to start asking if papers for the aircraft being used by the opposition candidate are in order and whether the use of the aircraft has not encroached on any aviation law.
Curious observers reject the opposition's excuse that the government may want to come against it to paralyze its campaign over its candidate's Chatham House speech in London and the gain from it.
Observers say it is apparent that in a competition such an election, parties involved will seek ways to undermine one another to gain advantage and it is the reason both parties should ensure it plays by the rules in all its engagements without allowing a negative undertaking for the other party to use against it. This raises a question about Tinubu and Amaechi's accounts and if they have not violated the country's banking regulations and that if they have not, why should the opposition exercise unreasonable fears.
People say if the aircraft and accounts of the opposition's chieftains have not violated any law, there would be no reason for the party or the opposition candidate to exercise fears as has been done, and that all the party needs to ensure is that the aircraft and its chieftains have not violated any aviation or banking regulations as such violations may not have room under any law. But if they have violated any regulation and the government sees the violation and capitalizes on it, it will be a case of anything is fair in a war.
Apparently, people say Muhammed Buhari is campaigning as coming to fight corruption and using widening corruption against the incumbent, and he is expected to ensure people championing his campaign are above board and that they don't contravene regulations. But people ask how can a candidate who has swore an affidavit he has a certificate which he cannot provide as a proof question his own men if they contravene regulations in anyway.
People who know say it will not be the first time the Nigerian government would ground an aircraft belonging to the opposition member, They recalled how Amaechi's Bombadier aircraft was grounded a while ago in Akure for defaulting on the country's aviation regulations. The latest fear cry from the opposition has made people to start asking if papers for the aircraft being used by the opposition candidate are in order and whether the use of the aircraft has not encroached on any aviation law.
Curious observers reject the opposition's excuse that the government may want to come against it to paralyze its campaign over its candidate's Chatham House speech in London and the gain from it.
Observers say it is apparent that in a competition such an election, parties involved will seek ways to undermine one another to gain advantage and it is the reason both parties should ensure it plays by the rules in all its engagements without allowing a negative undertaking for the other party to use against it. This raises a question about Tinubu and Amaechi's accounts and if they have not violated the country's banking regulations and that if they have not, why should the opposition exercise unreasonable fears.
People say if the aircraft and accounts of the opposition's chieftains have not violated any law, there would be no reason for the party or the opposition candidate to exercise fears as has been done, and that all the party needs to ensure is that the aircraft and its chieftains have not violated any aviation or banking regulations as such violations may not have room under any law. But if they have violated any regulation and the government sees the violation and capitalizes on it, it will be a case of anything is fair in a war.
Apparently, people say Muhammed Buhari is campaigning as coming to fight corruption and using widening corruption against the incumbent, and he is expected to ensure people championing his campaign are above board and that they don't contravene regulations. But people ask how can a candidate who has swore an affidavit he has a certificate which he cannot provide as a proof question his own men if they contravene regulations in anyway.
