Why Peter Obi, Datti Should Be Arrested – Festus Keyamo Writes DSS
The spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) asking the secret police to arrest the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi and his vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
According to Keyamo’s petition dated March 23, 2023, the duo of Obi and Datti have made inciting comments during media interviews and has also made claims about the declaration of Tinubu as the President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The petition partly read;
“I write this petition with the full realisation that in a post-election period such as this, there is a need to soothe frayed nerves, lower the temperature and begin the healing process. The President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has issued a statement to this effect a few days ago.
“However, it appears the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed, are not prepared to toe this conciliatory path for the sake of peace and national cohesion, whilst exercising their rights to pursue duly laid-down constitutional means of addressing their grievances.
“In this regard, since the declaration of the Presidential election results, they have been hopping from one media house to the other making incendiary comments and claims about the declaration of the President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission”.
“The comments and claims were made not just within the boundaries of exercising their rights to freedom of speech and the freedom to air their grievances publicly, but they have since crossed the line by insisting on the adoption of other processes outside the contemplation of our constitution.
“In some cases, their privies have even called for the establishment of an Interim Government.”
Defending his decision to petition the DSS, Keyamo who spoke on Channels TV Programme ‘Politics Today’ on Thursday, alleged that Obi and Datti are building up with their actions to provoke the people against the judiciary.
“I’m only saying it in specific terms: ‘Go to court.’ If I don’t say, ‘Go to court,’ the next thing I will say is ‘Come, let’s fight.’ So, why are they using such phrases or such sentences in a derogatory manner?”
“It is only when it does not favour you – and that is what the Labour Party is doing now, and that is why I had to petition them to the DSS”.
“There’s a buildup to something that they’re doing. The buildup they are doing is to rile the people up, pump them up, and then turn them against the judiciary” Keyamo said.
He added;
“These conduct and utterances are a build-up to something more sinister and it is important you rein them in now.
“In the circumstance, I submit this petition in my personal capacity as a patriotic Nigerian to invite/arrest, interrogate and after investigation, if necessary, charge both individuals to court for their conduct which amounts to incitement and treasonable felony.”
